houstonia

American  

[hoo-stoh-nee-uh] / huˈstoʊ ni ə /

noun

1. any North American plant, belonging to the genus Houstonia, of the madder family, especially H. caerulea, the common bluet.

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houstonia British  

/ huːˈstəʊnɪə /

noun

1. any small North American rubiaceous plant of the genus Houstonia, having blue, white, or purple flowers

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Etymology

Origin of houstonia

1755–65; < New Latin, named after Dr. W. Houston (died 1733), British botanist; see -ia

Example Sentences

It is prettier than the violet, and larger and deeper colored than our houstonia.

From Wild Flowers An Aid to Knowledge of Our Wild Flowers and Their Insect Visitors by Blanchan, Neltje

In the fall, if you can find the tufts of eye-bright or houstonia cerulia, and mingle them in with your mosses, you will find them blooming before winter is well over.

From American Woman's Home by Beecher, Catharine Esther

They were gone a great while, and came back with a charming bunch—arbutus, anemones, violets, and houstonia.

From Memories of Hawthorne by Lathrop, Rose Hawthorne

The list includes bloodroot, cowslip, houstonia, saxifrage, dandelion, chickweed, cinquefoil, strawberry, mouse-ear, bellwort, dog's-tooth violet, five species of violet proper, and two of anemone.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 07, No. 42, April, 1861 by Various

By this time the hepatica, anemone saxifrage, arbutus, houstonia, and bloodroot may be counted on.

From Wake-Robin by Burroughs, John