unicorn plant

noun

1. a North American plant, Proboscidea ( Martynia ) louisianica, having creamy-white to red flowers blotched with purple, and a woody capsule with a long, curved beak.

Word History and Origins

Origin of unicorn plant¹

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

With the same intent of seeking new fields are the hooks of the burdock, the unicorn plant, and the bur-parsley which impress as carriers the sheep and cattle upon a thousand hills.

From Project Gutenberg

The unicorn plant, Martynia proboscidia, common in the southwestern portion of the United States, is sometimes seen in cultivation.

From Project Gutenberg