A Mediterranean plant with forked roots resembling human form, historically believed to have magical properties. The plant produces toxic alkaloids and has been used in folk medicine and witchcraft.
From Old English 'mandragora,' borrowed from Latin, which came from Greek 'mandragoras.' The name may derive from the plant's supposed human-like appearance and its association with magical practices.
Medieval Europeans believed mandrakes screamed when uprooted and that hearing this scream would kill you, so they used dogs to pull them from the ground. The forked root's resemblance to human legs made it a prized ingredient in love potions and fertility spells.
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