colocynth
/ˈkɑləsɪnθ/
noun
- A bitter, dried fruit pulp from a plant of the gourd family, used in traditional medicine as a strong laxative.
- In ancient times, colocynth was a common remedy for severe constipation.
- The herbalist warned that colocynth should only be used in very small doses.
- She read that colocynth could cause dangerous side effects if taken improperly.
- The plant (Citrullus colocynthis) that produces this fruit, also known as bitter apple or desert gourd.
- The colocynth vine grows wild in sandy soils across North Africa and the Middle East.
- A single colocynth plant can produce dozens of small, hard fruits.
- Farmers sometimes struggle to control colocynth because it spreads quickly in dry fields.