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PLANT 42 was a large plant infused with the t-virus, and it was part of the experiment on botanic subjects by Umbrella researcher Henry Sarton. The name, as stated in the "Plant 42 Report", found in one of the bedrooms of the Guards Residence, is because the location that the plant was growing on was the PLANT 42 of the Guardhouse (PLANT 42 would literally mean "Plant at Point 42").
When the t-viurs outbreak contaminated the Research Facility held at the Spencer Mansion in the Arklay Mountains, a specific plant at Point 42 was exposed to the virus, thus undergoing massive metamorphosis. Because of it's drastic changes which also includes it's dramatic increase in size, it is unknown, even by researchers and observers, the type of plant it originally was. With a massive flower-like nucleus protected by distorted petals and extremely powerful vines, PLANT 42 immensely grew to invade the Residence, using its securely protected vines to feed on the t-virus altered water of the Aqua Ring beneath it. It had also aquired more nutrients by using it's vines to capture it's prey, when given the opportunity, and drain them of their blood. It was confirmed by Henry Sarton's report that there have been several researchers who were killed by PLANT 42. When PLANT 42 exposes it's nucleus or internal organs, by opening it's petals, it becomes much more aggressive towards trespassers.
As noted in a chemistry report lying around in the Residence, the Plant has grown singularly weak to a particular chemical, codenamed V-Jolt or UMB № 20. Exposing the roots of the Plant to the toxin dries them up and weakens it considerably. When playing as Jill Valentine and concocting the lethal V-Jolt and throwing the vial containing it to the roots, she is trapped by the withering Plant and saved by a flamethrower-wielding Barry Burton. In Chris Redfield' case, he cannot fabricate V-Jolt on his own, and is trapped by the vines of the Plant, and Rebecca Chambers is forced to prepare the chemical and administrate it to the roots in order to weaken the Plant enough to allow Chris to battle it.
The existence of PLANT 42 pushed Umbrella scientists to further research Plant-based B.O.W. development. The result was the smaller, more mobile "Ivy", also known as Plant 43.