Hartail

/ˈhɑrteɪl/ noun

Definition

A plant or herb, possibly a historical or dialectal botanical name whose exact identity is unclear.

Etymology

Possibly from 'hart' (male deer) plus 'tail,' suggesting a plant with a distinctive tail-like appearance, or from Old English botanical terminology. The precise meaning is obscure.

Kelly Says

Medieval herbalists often named plants based on what they looked like or which animals they attracted—'hartail' might have been a plant with a tail-like seed pod or something deer liked to eat.

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