Real Dictionary

ferula in American English
any of a genus (Ferula) of plants of the umbel family, valuable as a source of various gums, as asafetida
noun: any of various plants belonging to the genus Ferula, of the parsley family, chiefly of the Mediterranean region and central Asia, generally tall and coarse with dissected leaves, many of the Asian species yielding strongly scented, medicinal gum resins

ferula in British English
noun: any large umbelliferous plant of the Mediterranean genus Ferula, having thick stems and dissected leaves: cultivated as the source of several strongly scented gum resins, such as galbanum