Valerian

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Valerian \Va*le"ri*an\, n. [LL. valeriana, perhaps from some
     person named Valerius, or fr. L. valere to be strong.
     powerful, on account of its medicinal virtues: cf. F.
     val['e]riane.] (Bot.)
     Any plant of the genus {Valeriana}. The root of the officinal
     valerian ({Valeriana officinalis}) has a strong smell, and is


     much used in medicine as an antispasmodic.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Greek valerian} (Bot.), a plant ({Polemonium caeruleum})
        with blue or white flowers, and leaves resembling those of
        the officinal valerian.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  valerian
       n : a plant of the genus Valeriana having lobed or dissected
           leaves and cymose white or ink flowers