‖ viburnum
(vaɪˈbɜːnəm)
[L. vīburnum the wayfaring-tree.]
An extensive genus of shrubs, natives of Europe, Asia, and N. America, to which the guelder-rose and laurustine belong; a species or plant of this genus.
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Acacia, The third Sort..will..stand in a common Stove amongst Guava's, Viburnums, &c. Ibid. s.v., The common Viburnum, or Pliant Mealy Tree. 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 331 Viburnum, American, Lantana. 1782 J. Scott Poet. Wks. 267 And white viburnum o'er the border strays. 1842 Bryant Fountain ii, The viburnum there, Paler of foliage, to the sun holds up Her circlet of green berries. 1867 A. L. Adams Wand. Nat. India 204 A viburnum, differing in several respects from the English Guelder rose, bloomed sweetly by the sides of streams. 1884 Athenæum 20 Dec. 808/1 The remaining third include rhododendrons, rues,..viburnums. |
| attrib. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl., Viburnum Galls,..a species of galls, or small protuberances, frequently found on the leaves of the Viburnum. |
Hence
viˈburnian, a moth of the genus
Lozotænia;
viˈburnic a., derived from
Viburnum;
viˈburnin, a substance found in viburnum-bark.
| 1832 J. Rennie Consp. Butterfl. & M. 157 The Viburnian (Lozotænia Viburnana). 1868 Watts Dict. Chem. V. 998 The bark and berries of the guelder-rose..contain valeric acid (viburnic acid). 1886 Buck's Handbk. Med. Sci. III. 509/2 The bark [of Viburnum prunifolium] is said to contain viburnin, valerianic, oxalic, citric, and malic acids, besides other ingredients. |