podophyllous (podofilus)

phylleux, In entom ., having the feet or locomotive organs compre ed into the form of leaves. Podophyllum (pod-o-fil'um), n. [NL. (Linnæparted leaf, thought to resemble the foot of 1737), called in allusion to the 5-to 7 some animal; the order Berberideæ and tribe Berbereæ, characterized by having the ovules in many rows, the flower with six sepals, from six to nine pet als, as many or twice as many stamens, and a large peltate stigma crowning the ovary, which becomes in fruit a berry. There 2 species, one being P. peltatum, the May-apple or wild mandrake of North America, the other a Him a lay an species. They are singular herbs, with thick and prolonged poisonous creeping rootstocks, from which rise long-stalked orbicular peltate and deeply lobed leaves, known among children as umbrellas, from their resemblance both when folded and when expanded; also called duck's -foot. The flowering stem, unlike the other, bears two leaves, peltate near the edge, and between them a single large flat white flower. The leaves are poisonous, but the sweetish yellow egg shaped fruit is sometimes eaten. See May - apple, 1, man drake, 2, hog - apple, and podophyllin.