festucine

festucine

English

Etymology

From Latin festula (“stalk, straw”). Compare fescue. The chemical is called "festucine" because it is found in Festuca. (Its synonym loline reflects its presence in Lolium.)

Adjective

festucine (comparative more festucine, superlative most festucine)

1. (obsolete) Of a straw colour; greenish-yellow.
   • 1658, Thomas Browne, Pſeudoxia Epidemica: or, Enquiries into Very many Received Tenents, and commonly preſumed Truths, edition 3, Book 5, Chapter III, page 200:

     For here the true Cicada is not bred, but certain it is, that out of this, some kind of Locuſt doth proceed, for herein may be diſcovered a little inſect of a feſtucine or pale green, reſembling in all parts a Locuſt, or what we call a Graſhopper.

   • 1853, F. H. Stauffer, Rose May, the new School-Mistress, in The Family Fire-Side Book, page 314:

     […] ; and during the controversy and distracted attention, a beautiful young lady, habited in a black silk pelisse, a festucine dress, and an envious little straw bonnet, stepped out of the opposite side of the coach.

   • 1913, John Myers O'Hara, Heliogabalus, in Pagan Sonnets, page 10:

     […] laid

     Upon thy pouting lips the drench of wine!

     Above thy brow they massed the festucine

     Tresses and bound them with a mitra's braid;

Noun

festucine (uncountable)

1. (organic chemistry) Loline, an alkaloid with the formula C₈H₁₄N₂O.
   • 1991, Abdel-Fattah M. Rizk, Poisonous plant contamination of edible plants, page 96:

     MS and NMR spectra of loline from L. cunneatum and festucine from Festuca arundinacea showed that both alkaloids are identical.

See also

• norloline, lolidine