<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>A North American plant, <em>Lachnanthes caroliniana</em> (or <em>L. tinctoria</em>), having sword-shaped leaves, woolly, yellowish flowers, and a root that is red in color.</li><li>Any of various other plants having red roots, as the alkanet, <em>Alkanna tinctoria</em>, pigweed, <em>Amaranthus retroflexus</em>, and New Jersey tea, <em>Ceanothus americanus</em>.</li></ul>