Lappa

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of plant known for its broad leaves, often found in both wild and cultivated forms, and used in various culinary or medicinal applications
2. A flowering herbaceous plant valued for its large, edible leaves and roots, commonly utilized in gardens and traditional medicine
3. A species appreciated for its unique foliage and potential health benefits, frequently recognized in horticulture and herbalism

Etymology: The name comes from English "lap", meaning a stroke somewhere between a pull and a sweep, the kind of motion a hand or a wave makes when it brushes across a surface. The plant it names is a species with broad leaves, which is why the foliage is its most noticed feature. In Latin, "lappa" was the name for burdock, the plant whose burrs cling to passing clothes and fur, and that older botanical name is what the species keeps today.

Synonyms: burdock