gall of the earth
1
: a lion's foot of the genus Prenanthes
especially : a common perennial herb (P. serpentaria) that is widely distributed in the southern and eastern U.S. and has thick variable basal leaves and clusters of pink to white flower heads
2
: a wild plant of the genus Lactuca
3
: pinedrops sense 1
Word History
Etymology
earlier gall of the earth lesser centaury (translation of Middle French fiel de terre, translation of Latin fel terrae), from gall entry 1