[L. vīburnum the wayfaring-tree.] An extensive genus of shrubs, natives of Europe, Asia and N. America, to which the guelder-rose and laurustine belong; a species or plant of this genus.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Acacia, The third Sort … will … stand in a common Stove amongst Guava’s, Viburnums, &c. Ibid., s.v., The common Viburnum, or Pliant Mealy Tree.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 331. Viburnum, American, Lantana.
1782. J. Scott, Poet. Wks., 267. And white viburnum o’er the border strays.
1842. Bryant, Fountain, ii. The viburnum there, Paler of foliage, to the sun holds up Her circlet of green berries.
1867. A. L. Adams, Wand. Nat. India, 204. A viburnum, differing in several respects from the English Guelder rose, bloomed sweetly by the sides of streams.
1884. Athenæum, 20 Dec., 808/1. The remaining third include rhododendrons, rues,… viburnums.
attrib. 1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., Viburnum Galls,… a species of galls, or small protuberances, frequently found on the leaves of the Viburnum.
Hence Viburnian, a moth of the genus Lozotænia; Viburnic a., derived from Viburnum; Viburnin, a substance found in viburnum-bark.
1832. J. Rennie, Consp. Butterfl. & M., 157. The Viburnian (Lozotænia Viburnana).
1868. Watts, Dict. Chem., V. 998. The bark and berries of the guelder-rose … contain valeric acid (viburnic acid).
1886. Buck’s Handbk. Med. Sci., III. 509/2. The bark [of Viburnum prunifolium] is said to contain viburnin, valerianic, oxalic, citric, and malic acids, besides other ingredients.
