woodruff

woodruff
/wood"reuhf, -ruf'/, n.
any of several plants belonging to the genus Asperula or Galium, of the madder family, as G. odoratum (sweet woodruff), a fragrant plant with small white flowers.
[bef. 1000; ME woderove, OE wudurofe, wudurife, equiv. to wudu WOOD1 + -rofe, -rife, element of uncert. meaning; cf. G Rübe carrot]

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▪ herb
      any of various species of plants of a genus (Asperula) belonging to the madder family, Rubiaceae. The woodruff is found growing wild in woods and shady places in many countries of Europe, and its leaves are used as herbs. The genus Asperula includes annuals and perennials, usually with square stems. Their small, funnel-shaped flowers are clustered, and a few species are cultivated for ornamental uses. Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) is in a separate genus; it was formerly classified as A. odorata.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Woodruff — Woodruff, SC U.S. city in South Carolina Population (2000): 4229 Housing Units (2000): 1869 Land area (2000): 3.661964 sq. miles (9.484444 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.017927 sq. miles (0.046432 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.679891 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Woodruff, SC — U.S. city in South Carolina Population (2000): 4229 Housing Units (2000): 1869 Land area (2000): 3.661964 sq. miles (9.484444 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.017927 sq. miles (0.046432 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.679891 sq. miles (9.530876 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Woodruff, UT — U.S. town in Utah Population (2000): 194 Housing Units (2000): 75 Land area (2000): 0.536856 sq. miles (1.390451 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.536856 sq. miles (1.390451 sq. km) FIPS code:… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • woodruff — (also sweet woodruff) ► NOUN ▪ a white flowered plant with sweet scented leaves used to flavour drinks and in perfumery. ORIGIN Old English, from WOOD(Cf. ↑wood) + an element of unknown meaning …   English terms dictionary

  • Woodruff — Wood ruff , Woodroof Wood roof , n. [AS. wudurofe. See {Wood}, n., and cf. {Ruff} a plaited collar.] (Bot.) A little European herb ({Asperula odorata}) having a pleasant taste. It is sometimes used for flavoring wine. See Illust. of {Whorl}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • woodruff — [wood′rəf] n. [ME woderove < OE wudurofe < wudu,WOOD1 + rofe < ?] any of a genus (Asperula) of plants of the madder family, with small, white, pink, or blue, lily shaped flowers; esp., a European species ( A. odorata) used to flavor wine …   English World dictionary

  • Woodruff — Taxobox name = Woodruff image width = 240px image caption = Woodruff plant in flower regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Gentianales familia = Rubiaceae genus = Galium species = G. odoratum binomial = Galium… …   Wikipedia

  • Woodruff — This very unusual surname, of Anglo Saxon origin, can be either a topographical name for someone who lived on a patch or land thickly grown with woodruff, deriving from the Olde English pre 7th Century wudurofe meaning woodruff , or, it may be a… …   Surnames reference

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