misplaced modifier

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun A modifying clause or phrase placed so awkwardly as to create ambiguity or misunderstanding. For example, in Streaking through the sky, we watched the rocket reenter the atmosphere, the phrase Streaking through the sky is misplaced.

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

• noun a word or phrase apparently modifying an unintended word because of its placement in a sentence: e.g., `when young' in `when young, circuses appeal to all of us'