Bot. [= F. turion (15th c.), ad. L. turio, pl. turiōnēs, formerly also in Eng. use.] A young shoot rising from the ground, produced from a subterranean bud: see quot. 1894.
[1693. trans. Blancard’s Phys. Dict. (ed. 2), Turiones, the tender Tops of Trees, that grow yearly.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Turiones, amongst Botanick Writers, are the first young tender shoots or tops which any Plants do annually put forth of the Ground.]
1725. Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Sallet, The gentle Turiones and Tops [of Blite] may be eaten like Asparagus.
1880. Gray, Struct. Bot., iii. § 2 (ed. 6), 41. In the Turions, or subterranean budding shoots of … perennial herbs.
1894. Oliver, trans. Kerner’s Nat. Hist. Plants, I. 624. The scale-leaves, developed on subterranean shoots, especially on bulbs, rhizomes, and turions, differ considerably…. By turion … is meant a bud originating laterally on underground stem-structures and developing in the summer into a shoot which rises above the ground.
Hence Turioniferous a., producing turions.
1828. in Webster (citing Barton).
1900. in B. D. Jackson, Gloss. Bot. Terms.
