Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BUCK'THORN, n. [buck and thorn.]

The popular name of a genus of plants, called Rhamnus, of many species. The common purging buckthorn grows to the hight of 12 or 14 feet, and bears a black berry, which, when green, is used to dye yellow, and when ripe, green. The bark also dies yellow. Sea Buckthorn is the popular name of a genus of plants, called Hippophae. – Encyc. Fam. of Plants.