henbit
nounEtymology Calque of Dutch hoenderbeet. By surface analysis, hen + bit (past participle of bite; bitten). First attested in 1578. Cognate with Middle Low German hennebit and German Hühnerbiss; all likely derived from Medieval Latin Morsus gallinae, the ancestor of Italian mordigallina, French morgeline and obsolete English margeline. See also chickweed.
1
An annual herb, of species Lamium amplexicaule, with pink or purple flowers and deeply crenate leaves.
- The fourth kind (called of the base Almaignes Hoenderbeet) that is to say, Henbit, hath many round and hairie stems. The leaves be somewhat round, hairie, and a little snipt or jagged about the edges, otherwise not much unlike the leaves of great Chickweede. The floures be blew or purple, and do bring foorth^([sic]) small close knappes or huskes, in which is inclosed the seede.1586, Henry Lyte, Rembert Dodoens, A new herball, or, Historie of plants : wherein is contained the whole discourse and perfect description of all sorts of herbes and plants […] , Ninian Newton, page 100:
- Henbit typically sprouts in fall, after the soil has been cultivated following the removal of summer plants. It grows well in partial shade or full sun and is considered an indicator of rich, moisture-holding soil.1996, Barbara Pleasant, The Gardener's Weed Book: Earth-safe Controls, Storey Publishing, →ISBN, page 80:
2
Broadly Other species of plant that resemble L. amplexicaule, especially related species of deadnettle in the genus Lamium.
- Derived terms
- common henbit, garden henbit, greater henbit, red henbit, small henbit, spotted henbit, white henbit, yellow henbit