adjective
herbaceous
er-BAY-shus/ɜːrˈbeɪʃəs/
Having soft, green stems rather than woody ones.
Basil is an herbaceous plant with soft stems that bend easily.
Etymology
Herba gives the adjective its original sense of “grassy.” The selected meaning focuses on a grasslike structural quality: having soft, nonwoody stems.
In context
when thinking about stems botanists will first determine if a plant is Woody or herbaceous sometimes plants might be Woody at the base so it's important to check the base when identifying this character
More examples
- These herbaceous perennials die back to the ground each winter.
- The garden mixes herbaceous plants with woody shrubs.
- We plant herbaceous flowers along the path each spring.
Forms
herbaceous
herb noun — A plant with soft, nonwoody stems.
Similar words
- nonwoody
- Emphasizes the absence of wood rather than soft, green growth.