leadwort

plural leadworts

1. Plants in family Plumbaginaceae
   1. Any of various maritime herbs of the genus Plumbago, some of which have lead-coloured spots on the leaves or nearly lead-coloured flowers.
   2. especially, of species Plumbago europaea, of southern Europe, north Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, and Armenia.
   3. Any of various plants of genus Ceratostigma.
2. A leadplant, a leguminous shrub of species Amorpha canescens,) of the western U.S. that has hoary pinnate leaves and bears dull-colored racemose flowers; supposed to help locate lead deposits.
3. Diverse plants that tolerate high levels of lead, such as spring sandwort (Sabulina verna subsp. verna, syn. Minuartia verna) and alpine pennycress (Noccaea caerulescens, syn. Thlaspi caerulescens).