Jacob's staff

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun A pilgrim's staff.
• noun A staff concealing a dagger.
• noun A support for a surveyor's compass, consisting of a single leg, instead of the tripod ordinarily used.
• noun A cross-staff.
• noun The group of three stars in a straight line in the belt of Orion, also called the ell-and-yard, our Lady's wand, etc. The leader of the three is δ Orionis, a very white variable star.
• noun verbascum Thapsus, the common mullen.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun desert shrub of southwestern United States and Mexico having slender naked spiny branches that after the rainy season put forth foliage and clusters of red flowers