herbaceous

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   having soft green stems rather than persistent woody tissue, especially of a plant or plant part

   The herbaceous stems die back after the first hard frost.

2. 2
   adj

   having a leafy, grassy, or plantlike flavor or aroma

   The oil has a fresh herbaceous aroma with notes of mint and cut grass.

Borrowed from Latin herbaceus, 'grassy, made of grass,' from herba, 'grass, herb.' In botany the word developed a precise contrast with woody plants: herbaceous growth remains soft and does not form persistent lignified stems.

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