henbane

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• black henbane
• stinking nightshade
• Henbane
• common henbane
• hog's-bean
• stinking-nightshade

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hyoscarpus niger
• Hyoscyamus niger subsp. auriculatus
• Hyoscyamus bohemicus var. pallidus
• Hyoscyamus niger subsp. agrestis
• Hyoscyamus niger proles agrestis
• Hyoscyamus niger var. pygmaeus
• Hyoscyamus niger var. biennis
• Hyoscyamus agrestis var. integrifolius
• Hyoscyamus niger var. chinensis
• Hyoscyamus niger var. annuus
• Hyoscyamus bohemicus
• Hyoscyamus niger var. intermedius
• Hyoscyamus pictus
• Hyoscyamus niger var. bohemicus
• Hyoscyamus pallidus
• Hyoscyamus agrestis var. pallidus
• Hyoscyamus persicus
• Hyoscyamus niger f. pallidus
• Hyoscyamus verviensis
• Hyoscyamus niger subsp. pallidus
• Hyoscyamus vulgaris
• Hyoscyamus vulgaris
• Hyoscyamus syspirensis
• Hyoscyamus officinarum
• Hyoscyamus auriculatus
• Hyoscyamus agrestis
• Hyoscyamus niger var. agrestis
• Hyoscyamus niger var. pallidus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, specifically classified within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further organized under the order Solanales and the family Solanaceae. Finally, the medicinal species is categorized under the genus Hyoscyamus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific range of occurrence throughout the regions of Northern Europe. Its presence has been documented across various territories including Denmark and Finland. Furthermore, the species can be found inhabiting the landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. In addition to these areas, its distribution extends to the northern reaches of Norway. Together, these locations define its geographical footprint within the northern part of the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hyoscyamus niger is characterized by its ability to thrive in highly disturbed environments, commonly colonizing anthropogenic landscapes such as crop fields, inhabited places, old fields, roadsides, and various ruderal sites. This plant exhibits significant adaptability to varying altitudes, maintaining a broad vertical distribution that spans from a minimum elevation of 500 m AMSL to a maximum elevation of 3300 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

3300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

500 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, inhabited places, old fields, roadsides, ruderal sites

Life history

The life history of Hyoscyamus niger is characterized by a complex biological strategy that allows it to thrive in disturbed soils. It primarily functions as a biennial, completing its developmental stages over a two-year period, although its life cycle can be described as variable depending on environmental conditions. In terms of its structural growth, the plant exhibits a life form categorized as a hemicryptophyte, where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, providing protection during unfavorable seasons. Additionally, it can be classified as a therophyte, emphasizing its ability to complete its life cycle through a seed-based survival strategy. The plant is distinctly deciduous, shedding its foliage as it enters periods of dormancy to conserve resources.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

biennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hyoscyamus niger is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. It is a terrestrial, self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it act as an epiphyte or a parasite, growing instead as an independent organism. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of 0.14 m to a maximum of 1.15 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 0.6777 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.15 m

Plant height mean:

0.677666666666667 m

Plant height min:

0.14 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hyoscyamus niger is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy. The plant's leaf morphology exhibits significant variation, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 30 cm, maintaining a mean length of 17 cm. The width of the leaves fluctuates between 2 cm and 6 cm, resulting in a mean leaf width of 4 cm. These dimensions contribute to a mean leaf size of approximately 27.0175 cm², while the Specific Leaf Area (SLA) averages 425.32 cm²/g, reflecting its physiological approach to light interception and resource allocation.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

30 cm

Leaf length mean:

17 cm

Leaf length min:

4 cm

Leaf size mean:

27.0175 cm²

Leaf width max:

6 cm

Leaf width mean:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

425.32 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hyoscyamus niger is characterized by a sexual process through bisexual flowers, although asexual reproduction is absent. The plant follows a monocarpic life cycle, producing flowers that typically begin appearing in June and continue through October. Pollination is a biotic process driven by insects, with bees serving as a primary pollinator. Following successful pollination, which can occur through self-fertilization, the plant develops a dehiscent fruit in the form of a capsule. These capsules maintain a consistent size, with a mean length of 1.5 cm and a mean width of 1.2 cm (ranging from a minimum to maximum of 1.2 cm in width and a consistent 1.5 cm in length). The resulting seeds are quite small, possessing a mean mass of 0.0006242 g, with individual seed masses ranging from a minimum of 0.00042 g to a maximum of 0.000792 g. Dispersal of the seeds is achieved via an anemochorous syndrome, meaning they are dispersed by the wind.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit length max:

1.5 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

1.2 cm

Monocarpy :

monocarp

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.000792 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0006242 g

Seed mass min:

0.00042 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Hyoscyamus niger has 4 reported plant parts identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, root, flower, leaf.

Seed

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
3. Journal of natural products
4. Journal of AOAC International
5. Fundamental & clinical pharmacology

Root

1. Scientific reports
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. Heliyon
4. Lasers in medical science

Flower

1. Lasers in medical science

Leaf

1. Lasers in medical science

Chemicals

Hyoscyamus niger has 84 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include hyoscyamine, scopolamine, RUTIN, ATROPINE, BETA-SITOSTEROL.

hyoscyamine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Enantiomer
3. PloS one
4. Scientific reports
5. Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology

scopolamine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant physiology
3. PloS one
4. Scientific reports
5. Plant molecular biology

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Journal of natural products

ATROPINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of AOAC International

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Journal of natural products
2. Fundamental & clinical pharmacology

N-Methylputrescine

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. Frontiers in plant science

Tropine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

putrescine

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. Frontiers in plant science

spermidine

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. Frontiers in plant science

spermine

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. Frontiers in plant science

Activities

Hyoscyamus niger has 392 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antispasmodic, Analgesic, Anticholinergic, Narcotic, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor.

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fundamental & clinical pharmacology
3. Journal of AOAC International

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Studies in ancient medicine

Anticholinergic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of AOAC International

Narcotic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Studies in ancient medicine

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Hyoscyamus niger has 17 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Malassezia furfur, Tachycardia, asthma, bradycardia, confusion.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations