a Mediterranean plant with bright pink or purple flowers and poisonous seeds, introduced into Britain and North America. If unchecked, it can be a prolific weed in fields of grain. It is often cultivated as a showy annual.
Agrostemma githago, family Caryophyllaceae
Origin:
early 18th century: from corn1 + cockle (from Old Englishcoccul 'corn cockle', perhaps via Latin from Greek kokkos 'berry')
