verbena Definition

verbena
noun verbenas

1. Any of a group of plants of mild and tropical climates with clusters of fragrant white, pink, red or purplish tubular flowers, used in herbal medicine and cosmetics.
2. Any of various related plants, especially the lemon verbena, native to Chile with lemon-scented foliage and small two-lipped purplish flowers.

Etymology: 16c: Latin, meaning ‘sacred bough', referring in Roman times to leaves of certain plants, such as olive, myrtle, laurel, etc, which had a sacred character and were used in religious ceremonies.