Flower-de-luce

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]