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houstonia

[hoo-stoh-nee-uh]
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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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Origin of houstonia

1755–65; < New Latin, named after Dr. W. Houston (died 1733), British botanist; see -ia
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for houstonia

Historical Examples

  • 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.

  • Houstonia and Mitchella, or Partridge-berry, are excellent and familiar examples.

  • Under a warm bank found two flowers of the houstonia in bloom.

    Wake-Robin

    John Burroughs

  • 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

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

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