Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Black Henbane
Hyoscyamus niger
Nightshade family (Solanaceae)

Introduced from Europe, Henbane now is found through most western and northern states. It is highly poisonous and should not be handled. The plant has an extensive history of medical applications including use as a sedative and pain killer. Known as stinking nightshade because of its unpleasant odor.


©2011 Hermann Falkner

Description

Coarse leafy , 1-3' tall. Green-yellow funnel-shaped flowers with purple net veining and purple throats. Flowers atop stem and from leaf axils. , long-hairy, , stalkless, into triangular pointed segments. Stems are sticky and long hairy. Seeds in thick-lidded enclosed in , visible when blooms fall off.

Field Marks

Green-yellow funnel flowers with purple veins and ; leafy, hairy, leaves

© Al Schneider

lobe -- Being divided by clefts.

throat -- The opening of a flower.

ovate -- Oval, egg-shaped, with a tapering point.

capsule -- a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. In most cases the capsule splits apart to release seeds.

calyx -- the sepals of a flower, typically forming a whorl that encloses the petals and forms a protective layer around a flower in bud.

biennial -- a plant which lives for two years, producing a basal rosette of leaves the first year and a full plant, flower, and seed the second year followed by the death of the entire plant at the end of the second year.

pinnately lobed -- Having lobes pinnately arranged on the central axis.

leaves alternate along the main stem and are attached singly.