dief·fen·bach·i·a (d  f n-bä k-, -b k-)n. Any of several plants of the genus Dieffenbachia native to tropical America, having stout, jointed stems and large, variegated leaves and widely cultivated as an indoor plant. Also called dumb cane, dumb plant. [New Latin, genus name, after Ernst Dieffenbach (1811-1855), German naturalist.] |
dieffenbachia [ˌdiːfənˈbækɪə]
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any plant of the tropical American evergreen perennial genus Dieffenbachia, some species of which are grown as pot plants for their handsome variegated foliage. The plants are poisonous and the sap is extremely acrid: family Araceae
[named after Ernst Dieffenbach (died 1855), German horticulturist]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  Dieffenbachia - evergreen perennial herbs of tropical America with lush foliage and poisonous sap; often cultivated as houseplantsliliopsid genus, monocot genus - genus of flowering plants having a single cotyledon (embryonic leaf) in the seed Dieffenbachia sequine, dumb cane, mother-in-law plant, mother-in-law's tongue - an evergreen plant with large showy dark green leaves; contains a poison that swells the tongue and throat hence the name |
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