monkshood

monkshood
/mungks"hood'/, n.
a plant belonging to the genus Aconitum, of the buttercup family, esp. A. napellus, the flowers of which have a large, hood-shaped sepal.
[1570-80; MONK + 's1 + HOOD1]

* * *

▪ plant
also called  wolfsbane , or  aconite (genus Aconitum) 
 any of 100 or more species of showy, poisonous, perennial herbs of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). They occur in the North Temperate Zone, usually in partial shade and in rich soil. The roots are thick or tuberous and the leaves have fingerlike lobes. The hood-shaped flowers, borne mostly in spikelike clusters, are usually purple or blue, sometimes yellow or white. There are five sepals and two to five petals.

      A few species are cultivated in gardens, including A. henryi, A. carmichaelii, and A. uncinatum. All species contain the powerful poison aconitine. The common monkshood, or friar's cap (A. napellus), native to mountain slopes in Europe and east to the Himalayas, has been the most important source of this drug, which in ancient times was administered to criminals and has been used in minute amounts for reducing fever or treating neuralgia and for other medicinal purposes.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Monkshood — Monks hood , n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Aconitum}; aconite. See {Aconite}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • monkshood — (n.) also monk s hood, 1570s, from MONK (Cf. monk) (n.) + HOOD (Cf. hood) (n.1). So called for the shape of the flowers …   Etymology dictionary

  • monkshood — [muŋks′hood΄] n. ACONITE …   English World dictionary

  • monkshood — mėlynoji kurpelė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Vėdryninių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Aconitum napellus), paplitęs Europoje. atitikmenys: lot. Aconitum napellus angl. aconite; bear s foot; blue monkshood; blue… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • monkshood — kurpelė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Vėdryninių (Ranunculaceae) šeimos augalų gentis (Aconitum). atitikmenys: lot. Aconitum angl. aconite; monkshood; turk’s cap; wolfsbane vok. Eisenhut; Sturmhut rus. аконит; борец lenk. tojad …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • monkshood — noun Date: 1578 any of a genus (Aconitum) of usually bluish flowered poisonous herbs of the buttercup family; especially a poisonous Eurasian herb (A. napellus) often cultivated for its showy terminal racemes of white or purplish flowers compare… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • monkshood — noun a) Any of various poisonous plants, of the genus Aconitum, with blue or white flowers in the shape of a hood b) The dried leaves or flowers of these plants formerly used as a source of medicinal alkaloids Syn: aconite, wolfsbane …   Wiktionary

  • monkshood — See aconite. * * * monks·hood məŋ(k)s .hu̇d n any plant of the genus Aconitum esp a Eurasian herb (A. napellus) often cultivated for its showy white or purplish flowers that is extremely poisonous in all its parts see ACONITE (2) …   Medical dictionary

  • monkshood — n. poisonous plant with hooded blue flowers from which the drug aconite is produced …   English contemporary dictionary

  • monkshood — noun an aconite with blue or purple flowers. [Aconitum napellus (Europe), A. uncinatum (N. America), and related species.] …   English new terms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”