a coarse, hairy, foul-smelling, poisonous plant (Hyoscyamus niger) of the nightshade family: it is used in medicine as a source of hyoscyamine and scopolamine
Origin:
ME: see hen & bane
See henbane in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
A poisonous Eurasian plant (Hyoscyamus niger) having an unpleasant odor, sticky leaves, and funnel-shaped greenish-yellow flowers. It is a source of the drug hyoscyamine.