Main Entry: wis·te·ria

Pronunciation: \wis-ˈtir-ē-ə\

Variant(s): also wis·tar·ia \-ˈtir-ē-ə also -ˈter-\

Function: noun

Etymology: New Latin Wisteria, from Caspar Wistar †1818 American physician

Date: 1842

: any of a genus (Wisteria) of mostly woody leguminous vines of China, Japan, and the southeastern United States that have pinnately compound leaves and long racemes of showy blue, white, purple, or rose papilionaceous flowers and that include several (as W. sinensis and W. floribunda) grown as ornamentals

[wisteria illustration]