| 释义 |
petunia Bot.|pɪˈtjuːnɪə|
[mod.L. (Jussieu 1789), f. petun: so called from its close botanical affinity to the tobacco plant.]
1. A genus of ornamental herbaceous plants (family Solanaceæ or Atropaceæ) nearly allied to tobacco, natives of South America; they bear white, violet or purple, and variegated funnel-shaped flowers. Also, a plant or flower of this.
1825Curtis's Bot. Mag. LII. 2552 Petunia Nyctaginiflora. Large-flowered Petunia... Found by Commerson on the shores of Rio de Plata. 1846Lindley Veg. Kingd. 621 Solanaceæ... Genera..ii. Petunia. 1861G. J. Whyte-Melville Good for Nothing II. 169 A splendid confusion of verbena, petunia, anemone, and calceolaria spangled with spots of gold. 1882Garden 25 Mar. 202/3 The Petunia, although a perennial, may also be successfully grown as an annual.
2. The dark violet or purple colour of the petunia. Also attrib.
1891Daily News 19 Jan. 3/1 Woollen materials..in dark tones of red, russet,..violet, pansy, dahlia, petunia, &c. 1892Ibid. 18 June 3/3 The yoke was of petunia velvet with a deep frill of lace. 1894Westm. Gaz. 26 June 8/2 The Duchess wore a very rich costume of petunia and black. |