Biology:Hyoscyamus

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Short description: Genus of flowering plants

Hyoscyamus
Henbane1.JPG
Hyoscyamus niger
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Subfamily: Solanoideae
Tribe: Hyoscyameae
Genus: Hyoscyamus
L.[1]
Species

11, see text

Hyoscyamus — known as the henbanes — is a small genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. It comprises 11 species, all of which are toxic. It, along with other genera in the same family, is a source of the drug hyoscyamine (daturine). Cruciferous type of stomata is present in Hyoscyamus.

Hyoscyamus means "hog-bean" in botanical Latin and was a name derogatorily applied to the plant by Dioscorides.[2]

The poisonous, narcotic henbanes were associated with witchcraft since earliest times. The Assyrians recommended hanging them on one's door to ward off sorcery. Witches found them valuable especially due to their trance-inducing capabilities, and they were used in flying ointment rituals. They have been used to lessen pain, neuralgia and diminish convulsions. Dioscorides recommended them largely for external pain killing use. The leaves are made into a kind of cigarette to relieve asthma and other respiratory ailments.[3]

Selected species

Image Scientific name Distribution
Hyoscyamus albus flora.jpg Hyoscyamus albus L. – White henbane Spain and Morocco
Hyoscyamus aureus flower a RJP.jpg Hyoscyamus aureus L. – Golden henbane
Hyoscyamus boveanus L.
Hyoscyamus desertorum L.
Hyoscyamus muticus 02.JPG Hyoscyamus muticus L. – Egyptian henbane (synonym: H. falezlez) North Africa and Arabia
Hyoscyamus niger 0003.JPG Hyoscyamus niger L. – Black henbane Eurasia
Hyoscyamus pusillus 1.jpg Hyoscyamus pusillus L. East Asia
Hyoscyamus reticulatus L.[4]

References

  1. "Hyoscyamus L.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2009-09-01. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?5957. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  2. Gledhill D. 1996. The Names of Plants. Cambridge University Press ISBN:0521366755
  3. Flowers of Greece and the Aegean by Anthony Huxley and William Taylor - Chatto & Windus, London 1977 - ISBN 0 7011 2228 5
  4. "Species Records of Hyoscyamus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?5957. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q158510 entry