[tr. mod.L. flōs sōlis.]
† 1. The heliotrope (Heliotropium). Obs. rare–1.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 13 b. Because it turneth the leaues about wyth the sonne, it is called Heliotropion, that is, turned wyth the sonne, or sonne flower.
b. Used vaguely or allusively for any flower that turns so as to follow the sun; cf. HELIOTROPE 1.
1652. Benlowes, Theoph., IV. xv. Ye Twins of Light, as Sunflow’rs be enclin’d To th’ Sun of Righteousnes.
1794. W. Blake, Songs Exper., Ah! Sun-Flower, 1. Ah, Sunflower! weary of time, Who countest the steps of the sun.
1852. Robertson, Serm., Ser. IV. xl. 305. Christian life is as the turning of the sunflower to the Sun.
2. Any species of the genus Helianthus, N.O. Compositæ, chiefly natives of N. America, having conspicuous yellow flower-heads with disk and ray suggesting a figure of the sun; esp. H. annuus, a tall-growing plant commonly cultivated for its very large showy flowers.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. ccxlvii. 612. Flos Solis maior. The greater Sunne flower.
[1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, VIII. ii. 616. The flower of the Sunne is now no longer the Marigold of Peru, but groweth in many places with vs in England.]
1705. Tate, trans. Cowley’s Plants, IV. C.’s Wks. 1711, III. 395. The Sun-Flow’r, thinking ’twas for him foul Shame To nap by Day-light, strove t’ excuse the Blame; It was not Sleep that made him nod, he said, But too great Weight and Largeness of his Head.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Bot., xxvi. (1794), 399. The annual Sun-flower … is a flower of wonderful magnificence.
1824. W. Irving, T. Trav. (1849), 395. The family garden, where … gigantic sunflowers lolled their broad jolly faces over the fences.
1872. Oliver, Elem. Bot., II. 197. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), the seeds of which yield a valuable oil.
b. Applied (usually with defining word) to various other composite plants with radiant yellow flower-heads: see quots.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Corona Solis, Another Plant or two … very nearly ally’d to the Sun-Flower…. 19. Chrysanthemum; Helenii folio…. Dwarf American Sun-Flower…. 20. Chrysanthemum,… Doronici folio,… Dwarf-Peach-colour’d American Sun-flower.
1753. Chambers, Cycl., Suppl., App., Rudbeckia,… a genus of plants, called … in English the Dwarf-sun-flower.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 328. Sun-flower, Tickseeded, Corcopsis. Ibid., Sun-flower, Willow-leaved, Helenia.
1845–50. Mrs. Lincoln, Lect. Bot., App. 109. Helenium autumnale (false sun-flower).
a. 1850. W. A. Bromfield, Flora Vectensis (1856), 253. I[nula] Helenium … Velvet Dock. Wild Sun-flower.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Sun-flower. Corn marigold. Chrysanthemum segetum.
c. fig. Applied to a person of resplendent beauty.
1823. Byron, Island, II. x. Neuha, the sun-flower of the island daughters.
3. Applied to various plants whose flowers open only in sunshine or in daylight.
† a. The marigold: cf. quot. 1563 for sun’s flower s.v. SUN sb. 13 c. Obs. † b. The genus Helianthemum (N. O. Cistaceæ), commonly called rock-rose (also sun-rose: see SUN sb. 13 b): usually little or small sunflower. Obs. c. The pimpernel. local. d. The star-of-Bethlehem. local.
1670. Ray, Catal. Plant. Angliæ, F j b. Helianthemum Anglicum luteum Ger[arde]. Dwarf-Cistus, Little Sun-flower.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., Helianthemum, small Sun-flower.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1110/2. Sunflower, Helianthus; also … Calendula officinalis.
4. attrib. and Comb., as sunflower-plant, -seed; sunflower-leaved adj.; sunflower oil, an oil obtained from the seeds of the sunflower.
1822. Hortus Anglicus, II. 411. B[uphthalmum] Helianthoides. *Sun Flower-leaved Ox Eye.
1860. Ure’s Dict. Arts, etc. (ed. 5), III. 843. *Sunflower oil.
1857. A. Gray, First Less. Bot. (1866), 156. A *Sunflower-plant … has been found to exhale twenty or thirty ounces … of water in a day.
1789. Trans. Soc. Arts, II. 113. Fifteen bushels of *Sun Flower Seed.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xii. There are garden-ornaments, as big as brass warming-pans, that are fit to stare the sun itself out of countenance. Miss Sedley was not of the *sunflower sort.
