Also 5–6 ster-, sterre-, 6–7 (? erron.) stir(e-. [f. STAR sb.1 + WORT sb.]

1

  1.  The genus Stellaria, with white starry flowers; esp. S. Holostea.

2

  In the 15th-c. quots. perhaps Alchemilla vulgaris.

3

a. 1400–50.  Stockh. Med. MS., p. 156. Sterrewort: stellaria maior.

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a. 1500.  MS. Laud 553, lf. 19. Stellaria maior is an herbe þt me clepuþ sterwort…. Stellaria minor is an herbe þt me clepuþ lasse sterrewort.

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1845–50.  Mrs. Lincoln, Lect. Bot., App. 173/2. Stellaria longifolia (long-leafed starwort).

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1878.  Susan Phillips, On Seaboard, 89. The poppy, like a scarlet flame, By snowy starwort blazes.

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1899.  Bridges, New Poems, Idle Flowers. And in the shady lanes … Starwort and Celandine.

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  2.  A book-name for the genus Aster; esp. A. Tripolium, Sea Starwort; A. Amellus, Italian Starwort.

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1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, I. xxiv. 36. Aster Atticus … is called … in English Sharewurte or Sterrewurte.

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1585.  Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 118/1. Aster atticus … stirwoort.

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1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, II. lxxxviii. 334. Aster Marinus, or Amellus Marinus: in English Sea Starwort,… of some Blew Daisies. Ibid., II. cxxv. 391. There be diuers sorts of the Asters or Starwoorts. Ibid. Italian Starrewoort.

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1647.  Hexham, I. (Herbs) Stirewort, sterren kruydt.

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1693.  Dale, Pharmacol., 175. Aster Atticus … Golden Star-wort.

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1728.  Bradley, Dict. Bot., Amellus … appears plainly to be the Flower call’d Asteratticus Italorum, call’d in English, Purple Italian Starwort, or Purple Marygold.

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1785.  Martyn, Lett. Bot., xxvi. (1794), 392. Large flowering or Catesby’s Starwort (Aster grandiflorus Lin.), is one of the handsomest [of the American asters].

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1812.  New Bot. Gard., I. 65. Aster Chinensis, China Aster, or Chinese Starwort.

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1862.  T. W. Harris, Insects Injur. Vegetation (ed. 3), 620. Our native asters or starworts.

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1882.  Garden, 11 Feb., 90/1. The American Starworts.

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  3.  Water starwort, the genus Callitriche.

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1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, II. cclxxxviii. 681. There is likewise another herbe of small reckoning that floteth vpon the water called Stellaria aquatica or water Starwoort.

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1796.  Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), II. 5. Callitriche verna … Water Starwort.

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1861.  S. Thomson, Wild Flowers (ed. 4), I. 65. The water star-wort … has its anthers but one-celled.

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  4.  The name of a moth, Cucullia Asteris.

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1819.  G. Samouelle, Entomol. Compend., 419. Noctua Asteris. The Starwort.

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1832.  J. Rennie, Consp. Butterfl. & Moths, 90. The Starwort (Cucullia Asteris).

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1869.  E. Newman, Brit. Moths, 433.

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