- any of various plants whose roots have been regarded as a remedy for snakebites, as the herb Aristolochia serpentaria(Virginia snakeroot ), having a medicinal rhizome and rootlets, and the white-flowered Polygala senega(Seneca snakeroot ), having a medicinal root.
- the root or rhizome of such a plant.
- the North American bugbane.
- a white eupatorium, Eupatorium rugosum.
- a plant, Rauwolfia serpentina (or Rauvolfia serpentina), whose roots are the source of reserpine and other drugs.
- any of various North American plants, such as Aristolochia serpentaria (Virginia snakeroot) and Eupatorium urticaefolium (white snakeroot), the roots or rhizomes of which have been used as a remedy for snakebite
- the rhizome or root of any such plant
- another name for bistort (def. 1), bistort (def. 2)
