Henbane

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Henbane \Hen"bane`\, n. [Hen + bane.] (Bot.)
     A plant of the genus {Hyoscyamus} ({Hyoscyamus niger}). All
     parts of the plant are poisonous, and the leaves are used for
     the same purposes as belladonna. It is poisonous to domestic
     fowls; whence the name. Called also, {stinking nightshade},
     from the fetid odor of the plant. See {Hyoscyamus}.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  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}]