The term bane (from , meaning "thing causing death, poison"), in botany, is an archaic element in the common names of plants known to be toxic or poisonous. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, several poisonous plants of the genus ''

Aconitum ''Aconitum'' (), also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family (biology), family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial ...

'' were thought to have

prophylactic Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, is the application of healthcare measures to prevent diseases.Hugh R. Leavell and E. Gurney Clark as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental health a ...

qualities, repelling and protecting against that which they were ''banes'' to (e.g. ''

henbane Henbane (''Hyoscyamus niger'', also black henbane and stinking nightshade) is a poisonous plant belonging to tribe Hyoscyameae of the nightshade family ''Solanaceae''. Henbane is native to Temperate climate, temperate Europe and Siberia, and natu ...

'', ''wolfsbane'').

Variants

There is no single species, genus, or family of poisonous plant exclusively referred to as ''banes''. Several unrelated plants bear the name. ;Austrian leopard's bane :'' Doronicum austriacum'', it grows between approximately 60 and 90 centimetres high with a spacing of 45 to 60 cm. It prefers full sun exposure to partial shade, requires little water, blooms in late spring to early summer, and has a bloom colour of bright yellow. The propagation for this plant would be division of

rhizomes In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

tubers Tubers are a type of enlarged structure that plants use as storage organs for nutrients, derived from stems or roots. Tubers help plants perennate (survive winter or dry months), provide energy and nutrients, and are a means of asexual reprod ...

, corns, or the

bulb In botany, a bulb is a short underground stem with fleshy leaves or leaf basesBell, A.D. 1997. ''Plant form: an illustrated guide to flowering plant morphology''. Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. that function as food storage organs duri ...

s including the off position of the seeds. ;Common dogbane :''

Apocynum androsaemifolium ''Apocynum androsaemifolium'', the fly-trap dogbane or spreading dogbane, is a flowering plant in the Gentianales order. It is common across Canada and much of the United States excepting the deep southeast. Description ''Apocynum androsaemifo ...

'', a perennial

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

small shrub, growing up to one metre high, of the family

Apocynaceae Apocynaceae (, from '' Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison. Notable mem ...

. ;Dog bane :''

Plectranthus ornatus ''Coleus comosus'', synonym ''Plectranthus ornatus'', is a flowering plant from the mint family Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family (biology), family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle, or sage fami ...

'' a perennial in the family

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family (biology), family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle, or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil (herb), ba ...

, said to repel dogs from gardens. Grows to a height of about 24-36 in. The plant prefers full sun exposure and not to be over watered. ''P. ornatus'' has a bloom time of late summer, early fall to mid-fall and a bloom color of light blue, violet, or lavender. ;Henbane :''

Hyoscyamus niger Henbane (''Hyoscyamus niger'', also black henbane and stinking nightshade) is a poisonous plant belonging to tribe Hyoscyameae of the nightshade family ''Solanaceae''. Henbane is native to temperate Europe and Siberia, and naturalised in Great B ...

'', common name ''henbane'' is a poisonous plant in the family

Solanaceae Solanaceae (), commonly known as the nightshades, is a family of flowering plants in the order Solanales. It contains approximately 2,700 species, several of which are used as agricultural crops, medicinal plants, and ornamental plants. Many me ...

. ;

Leopard's bane Leopard's bane or leopard's-bane may refer to: *''Aconitum'', also known as aconite, monkshood, wolf's bane, women's bane, Devil's helmet or blue rocket, a genus of flowering plants belonging to the buttercup family *''Arnica montana'', also known ...

:''

Doronicum orientale ''Doronicum orientale'', the Oriental leopard's bane, is a European plant species in the family Asteraceae. Description ''Doronicum orientale'' is a perennial herb that has daisy-like yellow flower heads on long, straight stems, which attract ...

'', also known as ''little leo''. It grows between 40 and 46 cm high with a spacing of about 23 to 30 cm. All parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested. This plant is sensitive to the sun and over watering. ;Wolfsbane :''

Aconitum napellus ''Aconitum napellus'', monkshood, aconite, Venus' chariot or wolfsbane, is a species of highly toxic flowering plants in the genus ''Aconitum'' of the family Ranunculaceae, native and endemic to western and central Europe. It is an herbaceous pe ...

'', common name wolfsbane, is a tall herb with purple flowers. The leaves are poisonous by ingestion or handling without gloves due to the presence of the highly toxic alkaloid

aconitine Aconitine is an alkaloid toxin produced by various plant species belonging to the genus ''Aconitum'' (family Ranunculaceae), commonly known by the names wolfsbane and monkshood. Aconitine is notorious for its toxic properties. Structure and rea ...

. Used for assassination and in warfare since ancient times, and was believed to prevent

werewolves In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (from Ancient Greek ), is an individual who can shapeshift into a wolf, or especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf–humanlike creature, either purposely or after bei ...

from undergoing their dire transformations. ;Fleabane :''

Erigeron ''Erigeron'' () is a large genus of plants in the composite family (Asteraceae). It is placed in the tribe Astereae and is closely related to the Old World asters (''Aster (genus), Aster'') and the true daisies (''Bellis''). The genus has a cosm ...

'', common name fleabane, is a large genus of plants in the family Asteraceae. It is closely related to the genus Aster and the true daisy Bellis.

Footnotes

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