Prairie Dock (Noun)
Meaning
Stout perennial herb of the eastern United States with whitish flowers; leaves traditionally used by Catawba Indians to treat burns.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Prairie dock has large, flat, basal leaves that resemble those of burdock and are used for wrapping, insulation, and food storage.
- The Catawba Indians traditionally used prairie dock leaves to treat burns, cuts, and scratches.
- Prairie dock plants can grow quite large and are often found in open, dry areas of the prairie.
- In traditional medicine, the roots of prairie dock have been used to treat fever, rheumatism, and upper respiratory infections.
- The showy clusters of whitish flowers on the prairie dock plant are a favorite of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.