Col·chi·cine n. Chem. A powerful vegetable alkaloid, C17H19NO5, extracted from the Colchicum autumnale, or meadow saffron, as a white or yellowish amorphous powder, with a harsh, bitter taste; -- called also colchicia.
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Col·chi·cum n. Bot. A genus of bulbous-rooted plants found in many parts of Europe, including the meadow saffron.
Note: ☞ Preparations made from the poisonous bulbs and seeds, and perhaps from the flowers, of the Colchicum autumnale (meadow saffron) are used as remedies for gout and rheumatism.
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Colchicum autumnale
n : bulbous autumn-flowering herb with white, purple or
lavender-and-white flowers; native to western and central
Europe [syn: autumn crocus, meadow saffron, naked
lady]