lobelia

noun lo·be·lia \lō-ˈbēl-yə, -ˈbē-lē-ə\

Definition of LOBELIA

: any of a genus (Lobelia of the family Lobeliaceae, the lobelia family) of widely cultivated plants having terminal clusters of showy lipped flowers

: the leaves and tops of Indian tobacco

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Origin of LOBELIA

New Latin, from Matthias de Lobel †1616 Flem. botanist

First Known Use: 1739

Rhymes with LOBELIA

abelia, camellia, Karelia, obelia, Ophelia, Rumelia, sedilia, stapelia

Medical Dictionary

lobelia

noun lo·be·lia \lō-ˈbēl-yə, -ˈbē-lē-ə\

Medical Definition of LOBELIA

capitalized : any of a genus (Lobelia of the family Lobeliaceae, the lobelia family) of widely distributed herbaceous plants (as Indian tobacco)

: the leaves and tops of Indian tobacco used especially formerly as an expectorant and antispasmodic

Biographical Note for LOBELIA

L'Obel Mathias de (1538–1616), Flemish botanist. L'Obel ranks among the great botanists who preceded Linnaeus. In 1570 he published a work describing more than 1200 plants. He classified plants according to leaf structure, and he apparently tried to incorporate into his classification concepts of genus and family. The genus Lobelia was named in his honor in 1702 by the French botanist Charles Plumier (1646–1704).