flower-de-luce

1 definition found

flower-de-luce - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Flower-de-luce \Flow"er-de-luce"\, n. [Corrupted fr.
     fleur-de-lis.] (Bot.)
     A genus of perennial herbs (Iris) with swordlike leaves and
     large three-petaled flowers often of very gay colors, but
     probably white in the plant first chosen for the royal French
     emblem.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: There are nearly one hundred species, natives of the
           north temperate zone. Some of the best known are Iris Germanica
           , I. Florentina, I. Persica, I. sambucina
           , and the American I. versicolor, I. prismatica
           , etc.
           [1913 Webster]