catsear
catsear Lexical Profile
• noun
A perennial herbaceous flowering plant of the genus Hypochaeris (especially Hypochaeris radicata) in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe and widely naturalized in lawns and pastures, having a basal rosette of hairy leaves and bright yellow, dandelion-like flower heads borne on branched, leafless stems.
"The meadow was dotted with the bright yellow blooms of catsear throughout the summer."
The edible young leaves or taproot of the catsear plant, foraged and eaten raw in salads, steamed as a leafy green vegetable, or roasted as a coffee substitute.
"Foragers often gather young catsear in the spring because its tender leaves are less bitter than dandelion greens."
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed as a compound of 'cat's' and 'ear', named from the shape and soft, hairy texture of its basal leaves, which resemble the ears of a cat.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.