|
Dogbane
Dogbane, dog-bane, dog's bane, and other variations, some of them regional and some transient, are names for certain plants that are reputed to kill or repel dogs; "bane" originally meant "slayer", and was later applied to plants to indicate that they were poisonous to particular creatures. History of the term The earliest reference to such names in common English usage was in the 16th century, in which they were applied to various plants in the Apocynaceae, in particular ''Apocynum''. Some plants in the Asclepiadoideae, now a subfamily of the Apocynaceae, but until recently regarded as the separate family Asclepiadaceae, were also called dogbane even before the two families were united. It is not clear how much earlier the name had been in use in the English language, which originated about 1000 years earlier in mediaeval times. However, centuries before the appearance of the English language, Pedanius Dioscorides, in his ''De Materia Medica'', had already described members of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Apocynum
''Apocynum'', commonly known as dogbane or Indian hemp, is a small genus of the flowering plant family Apocynaceae. Its name comes from Ancient Greek , from "away" and "dog", referring to dogbane ('' Cionura erecta''), which was used to poison dogs. The genus is native to North America, temperate Asia, and southeastern Europe. ''Apocynum'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the mouse moth and the queen butterfly. Uses ''Apocynum cannabinum'' was used as a source of fiber by Native Americans. '' Apocynum venetum'' () is used as an herbal tea in China. Dogbane contains cymarin, a cardiotonic agent formerly used to treat cardiac arrhythmia in humans. Species Almost 300 names have been proposed in the genus for species, subspecies, and forms. , only the following five species and hybrids are currently recognized, with several subspecies and varieties accepted for '' A. androsaemifolium'' and '' A. venetum'' (see their respecti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
