Verbena

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /vɚˈbinə/

Definitions

1. A type of flowering herb favored for its ornamental qualities and commonly recognized for its potential medicinal uses in herbal practices
2. This genus consists of plants appreciated for their beautiful flowers and considered beneficial in various herbal applications
3. A genus of flowering plants known for their aesthetic appeal and often utilized in herbal remedies for various health benefits

Etymology: The plant name "verbena" carries a sacred past that has little to do with the bright flower beds it names today. In ancient Rome, "verbēna" referred to the leaves and twigs of sacred plants such as olive, myrtle and laurel, which were gathered for use in religious ceremonies. The Latin word is the source of the modern botanical name, which was adopted as a genus name for the flowering plants we grow in gardens, so a term once applied to ritual foliage became the label for a showy garden flower. The word has a close relative in English that came by a different route. "Vervain" is a doublet of "verbena," meaning the two words descend from the same Latin source but reached English separately, with "vervain" arriving through French. The older English name is the familiar one for the herb, while "verbena" entered English later as the scientific-style name for the garden genus.