The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Turnsole \Turn"sole`\, n. [F. tournesol, It. tornasole; tornare
to turn (LL. tornare) + sole the sun, L. sol. See Turn,
Solar, a., and cf. Heliotrope.] [Written also turnsol.]
1. (Bot.)
(a) A plant of the genus Heliotropium; heliotrope; -- so
named because its flowers are supposed to turn toward
the sun.
(b) The sunflower.
(c) A kind of spurge (Euphorbia Helioscopia).
(d) The euphorbiaceous plant Chrozophora tinctoria.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Chem.)
(a) Litmus. [Obs.]
(b) A purple dye obtained from the plant turnsole. See
def. 1
(d) .
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Heliotrope \He"li*o*trope\, n. [F. h['e]liotrope, L.
heliotropium, Gr. ?; ? the sun + ? to turn, ? turn. See
Heliacal, Trope.]
1. (Anc. Astron.) An instrument or machine for showing when
the sun arrived at the tropics and equinoctial line.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Heliotropium; -- called also
turnsole and girasole. Heliotropium Peruvianum is
the commonly cultivated species with fragrant flowers.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Geodesy & Signal Service) An instrument for making
signals to an observer at a distance, by means of the
sun's rays thrown from a mirror.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Min.) See Bloodstone
(a) .
[1913 Webster]
Heliotrope purple, a grayish purple color.
[1913 Webster]