Birthroot \Birth"root`\, n. (Bot.) An herbaceous plant ({Trillium erectum}), and its astringent rootstock, which is said to have medicinal properties.
birthroot n : trillium of eastern North America having malodorous pink to purple flowers and an astringent root used in fold medicine especially to ease childbirth [syn: {purple trillium}, {red trillium}, {Trillium erectum}]