abronia

noun

abro·​nia

əˈbrōnēə

1

capitalized : a genus of herbs (family Nyctaginaceae) native to western North America having showy fragrant flowers in bracted heads and with the salver-shaped calyx having a 3-winged base see sand verbena

2

plural -s : any plant of the genus Abronia

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, from Greek habrós "graceful, delicate" + New Latin -onia (probably as in Paeonia peony and the names of other flowering plants)

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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