Aaron's rod
WordNet
noun
(1) Tall-stalked very woolly mullein with densely packed yellow flowers; ancient Greeks and Romans dipped the stalks in tallow for funeral torches
WiktionaryText
Etymology
With reference to Numbers 17:8 (‘And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.’ King James Version).
Noun
- A rod with one serpent twined around it, as used by Aaron (differing from the caduceus of Mercury, which has two serpents).
- A plant with a tall flowering stem; especially the great mullein, or hag-taper, and the golden-rod.