puccoons

Noun

puccoon (countable and uncountable, plural puccoons)

1. (countable) Any one of several plants yielding a red pigment which is used by the North American Indians, such as bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) and two species of Lithospermum, Lithospermum caroliniense and Lithospermum canescens.
   • The puccoon dye was used as a sort of body rouge; it rubbed off on English linen quite easily, as Byrd's men discovered.2002, Stephen G Ausband, Byrd's line, page 62
2. (uncountable) The red pigment (dye) obtained from these plants.
   • their head and shoulders [were] painted red, with Oyle and Pocones mingled together, which Scarlet-like colour made an exceeding handsome shew ….1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, quoted by Kupperman in 1988, page 61