centaurea cyanus

6 definitions found

centaurea cyanus - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Cornflower \Corn"flow`er\ (k[^o]rn"flou`[~e]r), n. (Bot.)
     A conspicuous wild flower (Centaurea Cyanus), growing in
     grainfields.
     [1913 Webster]

  Bachelor's button \Bach"e*lor's but"ton\, (Bot.)
     A plant with flowers shaped like buttons; especially, several
     species of Ranunculus, and the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus
     ) and globe amaranth (Gomphrena).
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Bachelor's buttons, a name given to several flowers
           "from their similitude to the jagged cloathe buttons,
           anciently worne in this kingdom," according to
           Johnson's --Gerarde, p. 472 (1633); but by other
           writers ascribed to "a habit of country fellows to
           carry them in their pockets to divine their success
           with their sweethearts." --Dr. Prior.
           [1913 Webster]

  Bluebottle \Blue"bot`tle\, blue-bottle \blue-bottle\, n.
     1. (Bot.) an annual Eurasian plant (Centaurea cyanus) which
        grows in grain fields; -- called also bachelor's button.
        It receives its name from its blue bottle-shaped flowers.
        Varieties cultivated in North America have showy heads of
        blue or purple or pink or white flowers
  
     Syn: cornflower, bachelor's button.
          [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
  
     2. (Zool.) A large and troublesome species of blowfly (Musca  vomitoria
        ). Its body is steel blue.
        [1913 Webster]

  Bluets \Blu"ets\, n. [F. bluet, bleuet, dim. of bleu blue. See
     Blue, a.] (Bot.)
     A name given to several different species of plants having
     blue flowers, as the Houstonia c[oe]rulea, the Centaurea cyanus
      or bluebottle, and the Vaccinium angustifolium.
     [1913 Webster]

  Centaurea \Cen`tau*re"a\, prop. n. [NL. See Centaury.] (Bot.)
     A large genus of composite plants, related to the thistles
     and including the cornflower or bluebottle (Centaurea Cyanus
     ) and the star thistle (Centaurea Calcitrapa).
     [1913 Webster]

centaurea cyanus - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Centaurea cyanus
      n 1: an annual Eurasian plant cultivated in North America having
           showy heads of blue or purple or pink or white flowers
           [syn: cornflower, bachelor's button, bluebottle,
           Centaurea cyanus]