[STAR sb.1 Cf. star-grass in STAR sb.2] A name for various grass-like plants with stellate flowers or stellate arrangement of leaves; as Aletris farinosa, Callitriche verna and C. aquatica, Hypoxis erecta, Rhynchospora Vahliana, etc.
1687. Clayton, Virginia, in Phil. Trans., XLI. 158. There is another Root of the Species of Hyacinths, the Leaves whereof are grass-like … and spread like a Star upon the Ground…. Some call it Ague-grass, others Ague-root, others Star-grass.
1796. Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), II. 5. Callitriche verna. Vernal Stargrass. Water Starwort.
1831. J. Davies, Manual Mat. Med., 117. Mealy-star-wort. Star-grass. Aletris farinosa.
1845–50. Mrs. Lincoln, Lect. Bot., 39. The water star-grass, Callitriche aquatica. Ibid., App. 113/2. Hypoxis erecta, (star-grass).
1864. Grisebach, Flora W. Ind. Islands, 788. Star-grass, Rhynchospora Vahliana.
1866. Treas. Bot., 35/2. Aletris farinosa, called Colic root and Star grass.
