A genus of plants in the evening primrose family, commonly called enchanter's nightshade, found in temperate woodlands.
Named by Linnaeus after Circe, the enchantress from Greek mythology who turned Odysseus's men into pigs. The name reflects the plant's mysterious appearance and historical association with magic and witchcraft.
Medieval herbalists named this plant after the witch Circe because its sticky seeds cling to clothing like magic—they couldn't explain how the plant spread so effectively, so they attributed it to supernatural enchantment rather than botanical adaptation.
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