stinking nightshade
Học thuậtThân thiện
A gardener carefully removes a stinking nightshade plant from the vegetable patch.
Definition
Noun: 1. A poisonous, foul-smelling European herb: "Stinking nightshade" is the common name for a specific toxic plant (Hyoscyamus niger) native to Europe and Asia. It is characterized by its unpleasant odor, sticky and hairy leaves, and yellowish-brown flowers. It is a source of the potent alkaloid drugs hyoscyamine and scopolamine.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The forager carefully avoided the patch of stinking nightshade, knowing its toxicity.
- Historically, stinking nightshade was used in potions and medicines, despite its dangerous properties.
Advanced Usage
- In botanical or historical contexts: The term is used precisely to refer to and its properties, distinguishing it from other plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).
- The ancient text described a soporific agent derived from stinking nightshade.
Variants and Related Words
- Henbane: This is the more common modern name for the same plant, .
- Black henbane: Another synonym for this species.
- Nightshade: A broader term for plants in the Solanaceae family, which includes both poisonous (like belladonna) and edible (like tomatoes and potatoes) species. "Stinking nightshade" is a specific type of nightshade.
Synonyms
- Henbane (primary synonym)
- Black henbane
- (scientific name)
Notes on Meaning
- The name "stinking nightshade" is descriptive, combining "stinking" (for its foul smell) with "nightshade" (indicating its plant family). Its primary significance lies in its historical and pharmacological use as a source of tropane alkaloids, which are both toxic and medicinally valuable in controlled doses.
A gardener carefully removes a stinking nightshade plant from the vegetable patch.
Noun
- poisonous fetid Old World herb having sticky hairy leaves and yellow-brown flowers; yields hyoscyamine and scopolamine