stevia

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A genus of composite plants, of the tribe Eupatoriaceæ and subtribe Agerateæ. It is characterized by crowded corymbose or loosely panicled heads with five or six nearly equal involucral bracts, five flowers, appendaged anthers, and a variable pappus of several scales or awns or of both mingled in the same head. Over one hundred species have been described, natives of the warmer parts of America from Buenos Ayres to Mexico, and especially numerous westward; absent in tropical Brazil and nearly so in Guiana. They are herbs or shrubs, often somewhat rigid, or rarely diffuse. Their leaves are usually opposite, three-nerved, and serrate, sometimes entire or three-parted. The flowers are white or purplish, forming slender heads. Several species are cultivated as border-plants in Europe. In the United States S. compacta and S. serrata, bearing a profusion of small white fragrant flowers, the latter flowering later, are grown under glass in great quantities for cutting and for winter use in houses. S. serrata and five other species extend within the United States into Arizona or Texas.
2. n. [lowercase] A plant of this genus.

Wiktionary

1. n. A sweet herb, of genus Stevia, native to Paraguay
2. n. A sweetener extracted from this plant that can be substituted for sugar is some uses. Much sweeter than an equal amount of sugar.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. any plant of the genus Stevia or the closely related genus Piqueria having glutinous foliage and white or purplish flowers; Central and South America
2. n. any plant of the genus Piqueria or the closely related genus Stevia