a herbaceous plant with spikes of small fragrant greenish flowers 木樨草
Genus Reseda, family Resedaceae: several species, in particular the North African R. odorata, which is cultivated as an ornamental and for its essential oil, and the European wild mignonette (R. lutea) 木樨草属,木樨草科: 数种,尤指北非的芳香木樨草(拉丁名R. odorata,常栽培作观赏用和提炼香精油)及欧洲野木樨草(拉丁名R. lutea)
语源
early 18th cent.: from French mignonnette, diminutive of mignon 'small and sweet'