An herb entry from the Ancient Herbs and Modern Herbs book by James K. Sayre, Copyright, 2001. All rights reserved.
Nightshade, Enchanter's - Circaea lutetiana - family: Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family).
This plant is not a true Nightshade, in the sense of being a member of
the Nightshade family, Solanaceae. This rhizome-based perennial plant grows
to about one and a half feet high. It has slightly-toothed oval-to-lance-shaped
lower leaves that graduate to linear-shaped leaves near the top of the plant.
In the spring and summer it produces spikes of small pink or white flowers.
The flowers are followed by bristly fruits which easily cling to clothing
or fur. Due to a high concentration of tannin in the leaves there was a
traditional European folk use of leaves in an ointment as an astringent
and thus as a remedy for hemorrhoids. This plant was fabled to have been
used by the enchantress Circe. In Homer's Odyssey in Greek mythology, Circe,
a beautiful sorceress, daughter of Helios, the sun god and Perse, the ocean
nymph, lived in a stone palace on the island of Aeaea (Ææa),
the Island of Dawn. She turned visitors into wolves, tigers and mountain
lions that guarded her palace. When Odysseus and his companions visited
Ææa, she changed Odysseus' companions into swine. Hermes, the
giant killer, then gave Odysseus the herb moly which he used in defense
against Circe's magic potion. This herb moly was reputed to have black roots
and milk-white flowers and to possess certain occult powers. After he drank
her potion with no effect, he drew his sword and she begged for mercy and
offered herself in bed. Afterwards, he required her to reverse the spells
that had been cast over his companions. Odysseus was thus able to free his
companions from the spells cast by Circe. Odysseus and his men then spent
several years living with Circe and her handmaidens. He fathered three sons,
Agrius, Latinus and Telgonus, during this stay with Circe [Flaum]. Native
to Europe, eastern Asia, eastern and central North America. Cultivated as
an ornamental in North America.
End.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please feel free to Email the author at sayresayre@yahoo;com. sayresayre@yahoo.com
This web page was recently created by James Sayre.
Contact author James K. Sayre at sayresayre@yahoo.com. Author's Email: sayresayre@yahoo.com
Copyright 2003 by Bottlebrush Press. All Rights Reserved.
Web page last updated on 22 May 2003.