dahlia

dahl·ia

noun \ˈdal-yə, ˈdäl-, United States also & British usually ˈdāl-\

Definition of DAHLIA

: any of a genus (Dahlia) of American tuberous-rooted composite herbs having opposite pinnate leaves and rayed flower heads and including many that are cultivated as ornamentals

Origin of DAHLIA

New Latin, genus name, from Anders Dahl †1789 Swedish botanist

First Known Use: 1835

dahlia

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of the 30 species of tuberous-rooted herbaceous plants that make up the genus Dahlia, in the aster family, native to higher elevations of Mexico and Central America. The leaves of most are segmented and toothed or cut. About six species have been bred for cultivation as ornamental flowers. Wild species have both disk and ray flowers in the flowering heads, but many varieties of ornamentals, such as the common garden dahlia (D. bipinnata), have shortened ray flowers. Dahlia flowers may be white, yellow, red, or purple.