cowbane

[ kou-beyn ]

noun

1. any of several poisonous plants of the parsley family, as Oxypolis rigidior, of swampy areas of North America, or the water hemlock, Cicuta maculata.

cowbane

/ ˈkaʊˌbeɪn /

noun

1. Also calledwater hemlock any of several N temperate poisonous umbelliferous marsh plants of the genus Cicuta, esp C. virosa, having clusters of small white flowers
2. a similar and related plant, Oxypolis rigidior of the southeastern and central US
3. any umbelliferous plant reputed to be poisonous to cattle

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowbane¹

First recorded in 1770–80; cow ¹ + bane

Example Sentences

“There’s no cowbane for miles. I always check where they graze.”

From Literature

Cicuta, si-kū′ta, n. a genus of umbelliferous plants with poisonous roots—water-hemlock or cowbane.

From Project Gutenberg

Poison hemlock, spotted cowbane and Jamestown weed are very poisonous.

From Project Gutenberg

Leaflets entire, or with a few low remote teeth Cowbane, Oxypolis rigidior. 15b.

From Project Gutenberg

The other ingredients have no marked toxic action, unless 'berle' and 'ache' refer not to the harmless water parsnip but to the poisonous water hemlock or cowbane.

From Project Gutenberg