peacock flowern.
/ˈpiːkɒk ˌflaʊə/, U.S. /ˈpiˌkɑk ˌflaʊər/ 1. Either of two trees of the family Caesalpiniaceae ( Leguminosae) with showy flowers, widely planted in the tropics, the royal poinciana, Delonix regia (also royal peacock flower), and the pride of Barbados, Caesalpinia pulcherrima.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > cultivated or ornamental trees and shrubs > [noun] > poinciana
poinciana1731
Barbados pride1756
flower-fence1786
gulmohar1839
flamboyant1879
peacock flower1884
thread-flower1884
flamboyant tree1903
1884 W. Miller Dict. Eng. Names Plants 104/1 Peacock-flower, Cæsalpinia pulcherrima. Royal [peacock-flower]. Poinciana regia.
1930 L. H. Bailey Hortus 204/1 Delonix..regia (Poinciana regia. Cæsalpinia regia.) Royal Poinciana. Peacock-Flower. Flamboyant. Wide-branching tree to 40 ft. or more..; fls. bright scarlet.
1994 Flower & Garden Mag. (Nexis) Dec. 14 This species [sc. Delonix regia] has several common names: flamboyant in Madagascar, peacock flower in India and royal poinciana in Hawaii and south Florida.
2. Any of various other plants with showy flowers or inflorescences, or with clusters of stamens resembling a peacock's crest, including Spiloxene capensis (family Hypoxidaceae), native to southern Africa, and the peacock tiger-flower, Tigridia pavonia.In quot. 1897: a Japanese cultivated variety of morning glory (genus Ipomoea).
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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] > iris and related flowers > allied flowers
ixia1785
tiger-flower1797
Babiana1801
evening flower1801
watsonia1801
Sparaxis1836
montbretia1846
Spanish iris1863
schizostylis1864
romulea1865
Tigridia1866
kaffir lily1884
acidanthera1894
peacock flower1897
1897 Cent. Mag. Dec. 287/2 The peacock-flowers (kugaku zaki) have stiff central petals spreading widely like a fan or a peacock's tail from a first circle of petals.
1993 Los Angeles Times (Nexis) 27 Feb. n1/3 S[piloxene] capensis, the peacock flower, is another easy variety.
2003 Toronto Star (Nexis) 31 May p12 Tigridia: Also called Peacock Flower... It produces a succession of speckled flowers in amazing shades of pink, orange and red.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1884