A North American plant of the saxifrage family with leaves that have a distinct astringent taste due to alum content, genus Heuchera.
From alum + root. Named for the astringent (alum-like) quality of the plant's roots and leaves, which contain aluminum salts.
Native Americans used alumroot plants medicinally because of their astringent properties—the plant's leaves taste sharp and puckering, just like alum tastes, which is how it got its name.
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