n. a perennial plant of Europe and America (Menyanthes trifoliata) having racemes of white or purplish flowers and intensely bitter trifoliate leaves; often rooting at the water margin and spreading across the surface; -- called also bog myrtle, water shamrock and marsh trefoil. Syn. -- water shamrock, buckbean, bog myrtle, marsh trefoil. [ WordNet 1.5 ]
(n) perennial plant of Europe and America having racemes of white or purplish flowers and intensely bitter trifoliate leaves; often rooting at water margin and spreading across the surface, Syn. marsh trefoil, bogbean, bog myrtle, Menyanthes trifoliata, buckbean