Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz. The name comes from the Koine Greek ἀμέθυστος "amethystos" from ἀ- "a-", "not" and μεθύσκω "methysko" / μεθύω "methyo", "intoxicate", a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness. The ancient Greeks wore amethyst and carved drinking vessels from it in the belief that it would prevent intoxication. Amethyst is a semiprecious stone often used in jewelry and is the traditional birthstone for February. Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz (SiO) and owes its violet color to irradiation, iron impurities (in some cases in conjunction with transition
Amethyst woodstar Amethyst woodstar The amethyst woodstar ("Calliphlox amethystina") is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in most of central, and eastern South America proper, in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname-(the Guianas), Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. The bird's range surrounds the Amazon countries into the Andes foothills and higher elevations of upstream river systems, but is not along the Amazon River proper in the central Amazon Basin, or the central upper Basin; it is in Brazil at the river's outlet, and upstream for about 500 km. The amethyst woodstar's natural habitats are subtropical