The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. Any of several North American plants of the genera Grindelia or Silphium, especially the compass plant, the cup plant, and the gum plant, having a resinous juice.
n. Any of various composite plants which secrete resins or have a resinous smell.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. The compass plant. See under compass.
n. A name given in California to various composite plants which secrete resins or have a resinous smell.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. Any plant of the genus Silphium; especially, S. laciniatum. See compass-plant, 1, and prairie burdock (under burdock).
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. North American perennial having a resinous odor and yellow flowers
n. any of various western American plants of the genus Grindelia having resinous leaves and stems formerly used medicinally; often poisonous to livestock
Word Usage
"Plants characteristic of the prairie area include big bluestem, Indian grass, whorled rosinweed, butterfly-weed, ladies'-tresses and bush clover."