Bot. Also formerly, in French and anglicized form, 6 tussyllage, 7 tussilage. [L. (Pliny), f. tussis cough, from its use for curing coughs.] A genus of composite plants, including the coltsfoot, T. Farfara.
Formerly also including the butterbur (T. Petasites, now Petasites vulgaris).
1510. Stanbridge, Vocabula (W. de W.), D ij b. Tussilego, tussyllage.
1657. Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 499. This syrupe is denominated from Tussilage.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Tussilago, the Herb Foal’s-foot, or Colts-foot, good for a Cough.
1712. in Roses of Kilravoch (Spald. Cl.), 399. Debtor to A. Paterson, chyr-apothecarie … for tussilago-flower, maidenhair,… etc.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, I. i. 70. Put to it 3 Leaves of good Tussilago.
1786. Abercrombie, Arr., in Gard. Assist., 68. (Petasites) butterburr, or greater tussilago.
