acanthus
noun
°A member of the genus Acanthus of herbaceous prickly plants with toothed leaves, (family Acanthaceae, order Scrophulariales) found in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India.
°An ornament resembling the foliage or leaves of Acanthus spinosus, and used in the capitals of the Corinthian and composite orders.
synonyms: bear's breech, bear's breeches, bear's-breech