lobelia

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

|Updated on: 22 May 2018

Definition of lobelia

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

2 : the leaves and tops of Indian tobacco

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Recent Examples of lobelia from the Web

The numerous varieties of flowering plants like impatiens, spikes, lobelia and mums, have been carefully cultivated and timed to be ripe with color just as the seasons change.

— michael sangiacomo, cleveland.com, "The plant you give Mom on Mother's Day likely has local roots (photos)," 13 May 2018
Flower to start from seeds: lobelia, pansies, rhodochitons, fibrous begonias, foxglove and hollyhock.

— jeff lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, "Readers ask: Seedlings, compost and overgrown orchids," 9 Mar. 2018
These include lobelia, pansies, rhodochitons, fibrous begonias, foxglove and hollyhock, all of which can be found on local seed racks and most of which come in several different varieties.

— jeff lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, "Here are the plants you need to start now for them to be ready for summer," 2 Mar. 2018
Cyclamen, foxglove, nicotiana, forget-me-not, lobelia and primrose are good for the shadier spots (about two hours of direct sun or dappled light).

— NOLA.com, "29 flowering plants to add to your fall garden in South Louisiana," 28 Oct. 2017
Near the vegetable garden is a pollinator garden with native plants such as butterflyweed, milkweed, coneflower and lobelia, all of which attract bees that will then pollinate the flowers on the vegetables.

— sheryl devore, Lake County News-Sun, "Master class: Volunteer gardeners teach skills, fill food pantries," 25 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lobelia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lobelia

New Latin, from Matthias de Lobel †1616 Flemish botanist

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1739

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

lobelia

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

medical Definition of lobelia

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

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

Biographical Note for lobelia

L'Obel or Lobel play \lō-ˈbel\; 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).