houstonia

[ hoo-stoh-nee-uh ]

/ huˈstoʊ ni ə /

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noun

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

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Origin of houstonia

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

Words nearby houstonia

housing scheme, housing start, Housman, Houssay, Houston, houstonia, Houstonian, Houston, Sam, houting, Houyhnhnm, HOV

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How to use houstonia in a sentence

Our houstonia and hepatica would probably become a deep blue in that country.
Fresh Fields|John Burroughs
And the creeping, round-leaved houstonia was here, with a superfluity of a weedy blue sage (Salvia lyrata).
A Florida Sketch-Book|Bradford Torrey
It is prettier than the violet, and larger and deeper colored than our houstonia.
Fresh Fields|John Burroughs
That sociablest of flowers, the little Houstonia, was very abundant.
A Wonder Book for Girls & Boys|Nathaniel Hawthorne

In another locality I might have brought him dwarf cornel, or the houstonia, or wood-sorrel, or the evening-primrose.
Under the Maples|John Burroughs

British Dictionary definitions for houstonia

houstonia

/ (huːˈstəʊnɪə) /

noun

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

Word Origin for houstonia

C19: named after Dr. William Houston (died 1733), Scottish botanist

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012