Fumitory

Fumitory (Fumaria), u genus of small herbs, mostly annual, with slender climbing or straggling stems, decompound leaves and racemes of small crimson, pink, or white flowers of remarkable construction. They have two deciduous sepals; four petals, one slightly spurred and the two inner ones cohering at their apex; and stamens, apparently six in number, in two bundles (diadelphous), with one stamen with a two-chambered anther and two lateral ones with one-chambered anthers in each bundle. The fruit is an achene. These plants are common weeds of cultivated ground in Asia, Europe, North Africa, and now in the United States, The origin of its name fmnus terra, "the smoke of the earth," is uncertain, but may be from its smoky glaucous foliage. Once valued as a medicine, it is not now used. As "rank fumitory" and "fumiter," it is twice mentioned by Shakespeare.