witchweed

noun

witch·​weed ˈwich-ˌwēd 

: any of a genus (Striga) of yellow-flowered Old World plants of the snapdragon family that are damaging root parasites of grasses (such as sorghum and corn) and that include one (S. asiatica) which is an introduced pest in parts of the southeastern U.S.

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above