abelian.
/əˈbiːlɪə/, U.S. /əˈbiljə/, /əˈbiliə/ Any of several shrubs of the genus Abelia (family Caprifoliaceae), chiefly native to eastern Asia but cultivated elsewhere (often as hybrids) for their small pink or white flowers. Also (in form Abelia): the genus itself.
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1818 R. Brown in C. Abel Narr. Journey in China 378 The genus Abelia is named in honour of its di[s]coverer, Clarke Abel, Esq. who accompanied the late Embassy to China, as Chief Medical Officer in the suite of Lord Amherst.
1846 Edwards's Bot. Reg. 32 8 (caption) Abelia rupestris... Rock Abelia.
1870 Field Q. Feb. 70/1 All open-air gardens in the southern parts of these islands might be improved by judicious use of the Abelias.
1900 W. Robinson Eng. Flower Garden (ed. 8) ii. 406/1 In wild districts in the southern parts of England and Ireland Abelias sometimes do well in the open air.
1917 Addisonia 2 18 The genus Abelia, confined to the northern hemisphere, contains about twenty known species.
1939 Science 1 Sept. 197/1 It is therefore clear that shrubs next of kin to Abelias now living in China were once native in western and northern Europe.
1990 Sunday Mail Mag. (Brisbane) 11 Feb. 37/1 Abelia, which is hardy in southern Queensland, tolerates pruning well and can be trained to any size or shape.
2002 M. A. Dirr Trees & Shrubs for Warm Climates 29/2 Our program, at the University of Georgia, is breeding abelias for unique flower colors (rose, yellow, and purple),..and increased cold hardiness.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, December 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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