Category:Turnsole

Turn"sole`, n. Etym: [f. tournesol, it. tornasole; tornare to turn (ll. tornare) + sole the sun, l. sol. See turn, solar, a., and cf. Heliotrope.] [written also turnsol.]

1. (bot.) (a) a plant of the genus heliotropium; heliotrope; -- so named Because its flowers are supposed to turn toward the sun. (b) the sunflower. (c) a kind of spurge (euphorbia helioscopia). (d) the euphorbiaceous plant chrozophora tinctoria.

2. (chem.) (a) litmus. [obs.] (b) a purple dye obtained from the plant turnsole. See def. 1 (d).