Definition

Noun: * A perennial herb (Salvia lancifolia) native to western North America to Central America, characterized by violet-blue flowers and widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.

Usage Notes

• This is a specific botanical name for a species of flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is used in formal, scientific, or horticultural contexts.
• The term is typically used as a singular noun to refer to the plant species as a whole or to an individual specimen.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Salvia lancifolia is prized for its long blooming period and drought tolerance.
  • The garden border features several clumps of Salvia lancifolia.
  • This particular salvia lancifolia has more vibrant flowers than the others.

Advanced Usage

• In botanical taxonomy, the name is always italicized. The genus name () is capitalized, while the species epithet () is written in lowercase.
• It can be used in compound noun phrases describing specific cultivars or varieties, e.g., " 'Blue Spire'".

Variants and Related Words

• Lanceleaf Sage: A common name for , referring to its lance-shaped leaves.
• Salvia (n): The genus to which this plant belongs, encompassing many other species commonly known as sages.
• Sage (n): A general common name for many plants in the genus , though it most famously refers to the culinary herb .

Synonyms

• Lanceleaf Sage (n): The primary common name.
• Blue Sage (n): A descriptive common name sometimes used, though this can refer to other species with blue flowers.

Different Meanings

• The word "salvia" alone can have different meanings:
  • 1. (Botany) The genus name for a large group of plants.
  • 2. (Colloquial) Sometimes used to refer specifically to Salvia divinorum, a psychoactive plant, which is a completely different species from Salvia lancifolia.

Noun

1. sage of western North America to Central America having violet-blue flowers; widespread in cultivation