- either of two unrelated plants of the eastern U.S., Cimicifuga racemosa(black cohosh, or squawroot ), of the buttercup family, or Caulophyllum thalictroides(blue cohosh, or papoose-root ), of the barberry family, both used medicinally.
- any of several North American plants, such as the blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides: family Leonticaceae) and black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa: family Ranunculaceae)
