hermodactyln.
/həːməʊˈdaktɪl/ Obsolete exc. Historical.
1. A bulbous root, probably that of a species of Colchicum, formerly imported from the East and used in medicine. Also, the plant itself.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular medicinal plants or parts > [noun] > hermodactyl plant or root
hermodactylc1350
hermodact1678
c1350 Med. MS. in Archæol. XXX. 380 Medelyd wt rosalgere And ermodattilis of on ȝere.
c1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 236 Also take..hermodactulis wiþ sugre & coold watir.
?1550 H. Llwyd tr. Pope John XXI Treasury of Healthe (1585) Q vi A plaster made of the rote of walwort and Hermodactiles stampte wyth Hogges grese.
1616 J. Bullokar Eng. Expositor Hermodactiles, little roots white, and round, solde by Apothecaries, etc.
1681 Table of Hard Words in S. Pordage tr. T. Willis Remaining Med. Wks. Hermodactils, or mercuries finger, white and red.
1727 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Oeconomique (Dublin ed.) at Head ach [To clear the Brain] you may take two Drams of Hermodactil, with some Betony and Pimpernel-Leaves.
1847 E. J. Seymour Severe Dis. I. 90 It was found..that this plant existed in Greek physic under the name of hermodactyls.
2. Applied by Lyte to the Meadow Saffron, Colchicum autumnale; and later to the Snake's-head Iris, Iris tuberosa ( Hermodactylus tuberosus), which was supposed to be the source of the drug.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular medicinal plants or parts > [noun] > names applied to various plants or parts
boneworteOE
springworteOE
atterlothec1000
halswortc1000
bruisewortOE
motherworta1200
panax?a1200
bloodworta1300
serpentinea1400
tutsana1400
wartworta1400
wormseeda1400
grace of God?c1400
nailworta1425
Gratia Dei?c1425
sanguinaryc1440
panacea1522
parthenium1548
woundwort1548
wart-weed1573
cardiaca1578
hermodactyl1578
panacea1590
holy seed1597
whitlow-grass1597
feverwort1611
fever and ague root1676
rattlesnake root1682
snake-root1712
cancer root1714
fever-root1739
strongback1739
rheumatism root1835
heal-all1853
wound-weed1857
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > lily and allied flowers > bluebell and allied flowers > autumn crocus
wood-lilya1400
saffron of the spring1548
meadow saffron1551
hermodactyl1578
Mercury's finger1589
colchicum1597
autumn crocus1629
naked ladies1668
naked boysa1697
upstart1852
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball iii. xxxv. 366 Of Hermodactil or Mede Saffron.
1664 J. Evelyn Kalendarium Hortense 63 in Sylva March..Flowers in Prime..Chelidonium small with double Flower, Hermodactyls, Tuberous Iris.
1768 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. (ed. 8) Hermodactylus,..by some botanic writers..supposed the true Hermodactyl, but what has been long used in Europe for that is the root of a Colchicum.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.c1350