Definition

Noun: 1. A poisonous tropical plant: "devil's weed" is the common name for a specific, toxic, low-growing plant (a subshrub) that is an annual in tropical regions. Its fruit splits into five spiny segments. It is considered a serious problem in pastures.

Usage Notes

• "Devil's weed" is a common name for a plant, not a scientific term. It is typically used in agricultural, botanical, or regional contexts to describe this invasive and harmful species.
• It functions as a compound noun and is often treated as a singular, non-countable entity when referring to the plant as a species or infestation (e.g., "The field is full of devil's weed").

Examples

• The rancher worked to eradicate devil's weed from the pasture before it could harm the livestock.
• Devil's weed is characterized by its procumbent growth and spiny nutlets.
• Controlling the spread of devil's weed is a major challenge for farmers in the region.

Advanced Usage

• The name "devil's weed" is an example of a pejorative or folk name given to plants that are troublesome or harmful, emphasizing its negative impact.

Variants and Related Words

• Scientific Name: (This is the most likely scientific name for the plant described, commonly known as puncturevine or caltrop).
• Common Synonyms: puncturevine, caltrop, goathead, land caltrop. (Note: Regional common names may vary, but these often refer to the same or similar species with spiny fruit.)

Synonyms

• Puncturevine
• Caltrop
• Noxious weed
• Pasture weed

Notes on Different Meanings

• The common name "devil's weed" is sometimes applied to other toxic plants in different regions, such as certain species (e.g., jimsonweed). The specific meaning depends heavily on the local or contextual usage. The definition provided here specifies the plant with fruit that splits into five spiny nutlets.

Noun

1. tropical annual procumbent poisonous subshrub having fruit that splits into five spiny nutlets; serious pasture weed