Marsh n.  A tract of soft wet land, commonly covered partially or wholly with water; a fen; a swamp; a morass. [Written also marish.]
 Marsh asphodel Bot., a plant (Nartheeium ossifragum) with linear equitant leaves, and a raceme of small white flowers; -- called also bog asphodel.
 Marsh cinquefoil Bot., a plant (Potentilla palustris) having purple flowers, and found growing in marshy places; marsh five-finger.
 Marsh elder. Bot. (a) The guelder-rose or cranberry tree (Viburnum Opulus). (b) In the United States, a composite shrub growing in salt marshes (Iva frutescens).
 Marsh five-finger. Bot. See Marsh cinquefoil (above).
 Marsh gas. Chem. See under Gas.
 Marsh grass Bot., a genus (Spartina) of coarse grasses growing in marshes; -- called also cord grass.  The tall Spartina cynosuroides is not good for hay unless cut very young. The low Spartina juncea is a common component of salt hay.
 Marsh harrier Zool., a European hawk or harrier (Circus aeruginosus); -- called also marsh hawk, moor hawk, moor buzzard, puttock.
 Marsh hawk. Zool. (a) A hawk or harrier (Circus cyaneus), native of both America and Europe. The adults are bluish slate above, with a white rump. Called also hen harrier, and mouse hawk. (b) The marsh harrier.
 Marsh hen Zool., a rail; esp., Rallus elegans of fresh-water marshes, and Rallus longirostris of salt-water marshes.
 Marsh mallow Bot., a plant of the genus Althaea ( Althaea officinalis) common in marshes near the seashore, and whose root is much used in medicine as a demulcent.
 Marsh marigold. Bot. See in the Vocabulary.
 Marsh pennywort Bot., any plant of the umbelliferous genus Hydrocotyle; low herbs with roundish leaves, growing in wet places; -- called also water pennywort.
 Marsh quail Zool., the meadow lark.
 Marsh rosemary Bot., a plant of the genus Statice (Statice Limonium), common in salt marshes. Its root is powerfully astringent, and is sometimes used in medicine. Called also sea lavender.
 Marsh samphire Bot., a plant (Salicornia herbacea) found along seacoasts. See Glasswort.
 Marsh St. John's-wort Bot., an American herb (Elodes Virginica) with small opposite leaves and flesh-colored flowers.
 Marsh tea. Bot.. Same as Labrador tea.
 Marsh trefoil. Bot. Same as Buckbean.
 Marsh wren Zool., any species of small American wrens of the genus Cistothorus, and allied genera.  They chiefly inhabit salt marshes.

 ◄ ►


 Whit·ten tree  Bot. Either of two shrubs (Viburnum Lantana, and Viburnum Opulus), so called on account of their whitish branches.

 ◄ ►


 Cran·ber·ry n.; pl. Cranberries (-rĭz).  Bot. A red, acid berry, much used for making sauce, etc.; also, the plant producing it (several species of Vaccinum or Oxycoccus.) The high cranberry or cranberry tree is a species of Viburnum (Viburnum Opulus), and the other is sometimes called low cranberry or marsh cranberry to distinguish it.

 ◄ ►


 El·der n.  Bot. A genus of shrubs (Sambucus) having broad umbels of white flowers, and small black or red berries.
 Note: ☞ The common North American species is Sambucus Canadensis; the common European species (S. nigra) forms a small tree. The red-berried elder is S. pubens. The berries are diaphoretic and aperient.  The European elder (Sambucus nigra) is also called the elderberry, bourtree, Old World elder, black elder, and common elder.
 Box elder. See under 1st Box.
 Dwarf elder. See Danewort.
 Elder tree. Bot. Same as Elder. --Shak.
 Marsh elder, the cranberry tree Viburnum Opulus).

 ◄ ►


 Gat·ten tree  Bot. A name given to the small trees called guelder-rose (Viburnum Opulus), cornel (Cornus sanguinea), and spindle tree (Euonymus Europæus).

 ◄ ►


 Viburnum opulus
      n : deciduous thicket-forming Old World shrub with clusters of
          white flowers and small bright red berries [syn: {guelder
          rose, European cranberrybush, European cranberry bush,
           crampbark, cranberry tree]