henbane n : poisonous fetid Old World herb having sticky hairy leaves and yellow-brown flowers; yields hyoscyamine and scopolamine [syn: black henbane, stinking nightshade, Hyoscyamus niger]

English

Etymology

From hen + bane.

Pronunciation

/ˈhɛnbeɪn/

Noun

1. A poisonous plant, Hyoscyamus niger, used sometimes as drug that causes at least hallucinations, dilated pupils, restlessness, and flushed skin.

Translations

• Kurdish: beng

Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), also known as stinking nightshade, is a plant of the family Solanaceae Its usage was originally in continental Europe and Asia, though it did spread to England sometime during the Middle Ages. The use of Henbane by the ancient Greeks was documented by Pliny. The plant, recorded as Herba Apollinaris, was used to yield oracles by the priestesses of Apollo.

See also

• Nabidh

Notes

References

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External links

• http://www.erowid.org/plants/henbane/henbane.shtml
• Hyoscyamus albus
• Hyoscyamus muticus
• Hyoscyamus niger