Category:Hyacinth

Hy"a*cinth, n. Etym: [L. hyacinthus a kind of flower, prob. the iris, gladiolus, or larkspur, also a kind of gem, perh. the sapphire; as, a proper name, Hyacinthus, a beautiful Laconian youth, beloved by Apollo, fr. Gr. hyacinthe. Cf. Jacinth. The hyacinth was fabled to have sprung from the blood of Hyacinthus, who was accidentally slain by Apollo.]

1. (Bot.) (a) A bulbous plant of the genus Hyacinthus, bearing beautiful spikes of fragrant flowers. H. orientalis is a common variety. (b) A plant of the genus Camassia (C. Farseri), called also Eastern camass; wild hyacinth. (c) The name also given to Scilla Peruviana, a Mediterranean plant, one variety of which produces white, and another blue, flowers; -- called also, from a mistake as to its origin, Hyacinth of Peru.

2. (Min.)

Defn: A red variety of zircon, sometimes used as a gem. See Zircon. Hyacinth bean (Bot.), a climbing leguminous plant (Dolichos Lablab), related to the true bean. It has dark purple flowers and fruit.