honeywortn.
/ˈhʌnɪwəːt/, U.S. /ˈhəniˌwərt/, /ˈhəniˌwɔrt/ 1. Any of several plants of the genus Cerinthe (family Boraginaceae), cultivated in gardens and used as a nectar source by bees.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > forget-me-not and allied flowers
forget-me-not?1533
scorpioides1578
scorpion grass1578
scorpion-wort1578
honeywort1597
mouse-ear1597
myosotis1857
myosote1858
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 431 Cerinthe or Honie woort, riseth foorth of the grounde after the sowing of his seede.
1656 J. Tradescant Musæum Tradescantianum 98 Striped Honeywort.
1668 Bp. J. Wilkins Ess. Real Char. ii. iv. §3. 80. Greater Yellow and Red Honeywort, has a Root which is somewhat great and thick.
1771 R. Weston Universal Botanist II. 182 Cerinthe. Honeywort.
1855 R. C. Singleton tr. Virgil Georgics iv, in tr. Virgil Wks. I. 188 Bruised balm, and honeywort's unnoble herb.
1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. I. 257/1 Honeywort, an appellation due to the abundance of honey secreted by their blossoms.
1901 A. M. Earle Old Time Gardens xxi. 442 Honeywort is seldom seen even in our oldest gardens; but it is a beautiful flower and a most hardy annual.
2012 Guardian (Nexis) 2 June (Weekend Suppl.) 71 Honeywort's ability to cope with dry conditions also makes it a handy plant for summer container displays.
2. The crosswort, Cruciata laevipes (formerly Galium cruciatum) (family Rubiaceae), the flowers of which have a strong sweet scent.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Rubiaceae or Galiaceae (bedstraw, etc.) > [noun]
wild madderc1450
crudwort15..
Our Lady bedstraw1527
Our Lady's bedstraw1543
galion1548
maidenhair1548
purple goose-grass1548
cheese renning1578
crosswort1578
golden mugget1578
petty mugget1578
lady's bedstraw1585
maid's hair1597
cheese rennet1599
runnet1678
field madder1684
mugweed1690
rondeletia1739
Richardia1755
petty madder1760
madderlen1770
galium1785
Sherardia1785
joint-grass1790
mugwort1796
bluet1818
bedstraw1820
madderwort1845
hundredfold1853
honeywort1863
1863 M. Plues Rambles in Search of Wild Flowers 151 The strong scent of honey procures for it [sc. crosswort] the title of ‘Honeywort’ in some districts.
1906 Cent. Dict. IV. 2874/1 Honeywort..The crosswort, Galium cruciata.
2004 L. Fallows Northern Limestone 38 Honeywort..A soft hairy perennial with a creeping rootstock.
Compounds
honeywort hawkweed n. now rare a large-flowered hawkweed, Hieracium cerinthoides, native to the Pyrenees. This plant has sometimes appeared in British and Irish lists as a result of misidentification.
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1789 W. Aiton Hortus Kewensis III. 123 Honeywort Hawkweed..of the Pyrenean Mountains.
1861 A. Pratt Flowering Plants & Ferns Great Brit. III. 215 H. cerinthoides (Honey-wort Hawkweed).
1906 T. Fox How to find & name Wild Flowers 137 Honeywort Hawkweed..florets all rayed, strap-shaped; heads 1–5.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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