[mass noun]a root or other underground plant part formerly eaten by North American Indians, in particular 茯苓,尤指
the starchy rhizome of an arum that grows chiefly in marshland (Peltandra virginica, family Araceae) the underground sclerotium of a bracket fungus (Poria cocos, class Hymenomycetes) 主要长在沼泽地的弗吉尼亚楯蕊芋(拉丁名Peltandra virginica,天南星科)植物淀粉根茎 茯苓(拉丁名Poria cocos,层菌纲)的地下菌核
语源
early 17th cent.: from Virginia Algonquian tockawhoughe