Bot. Forms: α. 4–6 verueyn(e, -veyn(e, 5, 7 -ueine, 4, 7 verveine, 4, 7–9 vervein. β. 5, 7 vervaine, 5 -wayne (warwayn), 6–7 -uaine, 7– vervain. γ. 5–6 veruen(e, 6–7 -ven. δ. 6 veruyne, 6–7 veruine, 6–8 -vine; 6 veruin, -uyn, 6–7 vervin, -vyn (7 varvin). [a. AF. and OF. verveine (13th c.; OF. also vervainne, mod.F. verveine, = Prov., It. vervena), ad. L. verbēna VERBENA.]
1. The common European and British herbaceous plant, Verbena officinalis, formerly much valued for its reputed medicinal properties. Also rarely, some other species of the genus Verbena, or the genus itself. Cf. VERBENA 2.
α. 1390. Gower, Conf., II. 262. Tok sche fieldwode and verveyne, Of herbes ben noght betre tueine.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 243. A ȝelke of an eij, & as miche of oile of rosis, & as miche of iuys of verueine.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 64. Vitriol … made with Iuyse of moleyn, or of plantayne, or verueyn.
1611. Cotgr., Verveine, Verueine, Holie hearbe, Iunoes teares.
1706. Stevens, Sp. Dict., I. Verbena, the Herb Vervein.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1210/1. The common name of Verbena officinalis,… Vervein, our only native species.
1874. O’Shaughnessy, Music & Moonlight, 161. Between the pathway and the wood She seemed to make a softer clime For vervein, violet, and thyme.
1887. Moloney, Forestry W. Afr., 401. Vervein (Verbena officinalis, L.).—Herbaceous plant.
β. a. 1400. Stockholm Med. MS., ii. 315, in Anglia, XVIII. 315. A lytyll wyl I tellyn of verwayne, Herbe þat meche is of mayne.
c. 1425. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 645. Hec ueruena, warwayn.
1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., iii., in Ashm. (1652), 39. Vervaine, Lunara, and Martagon.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. ccxxxv. 580. There be two kindes of Veruaine as Pliny saith, the male, and the female; or as others affirme, vpright and creeping.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xiii. 213. And hard by them againe he holy Vervaine finds.
1671. Salmon, Syn. Med., III. xxii. 439. Vervain … is good against Tertian and Quartan Agues.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 132. Vervain flowers in June and July.
1757. Burke, Abridgm. Eng. Hist., Wks. X. 196. The Druids also looked upon vervain, and some other plants, as holy.
1782. J. Scott, Poet. Wks., 97. Vervain blue for magic rites renown’d.
1816. Scott, Antiquary, xxiii. You have used neither charm,… magic mirror, nor geomantic figure. Where be … your May-fern, your vervain?
1830. Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., 239. The properties formerly ascribed to the Vervain appear to have been imaginary.
1873. ‘Ouida,’ Pascarèl, III. vi. II. 90. About the feet of the Tower of Galileo, ivy and vervain, and the Madonna’s herb, grew among the grasses.
γ. a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 63. Mirabolan ow to be dissolued in gote mylk,… or in rayne water or rose water, or of veruene, or of anoþer stiptike herbe.
1545. Elyot, Hierobotane, the herbe called Veruen.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 64. Veruen, of some after their language is called Holy Herbe.
1591. Lodge, Hist. Dk. Normandy, B ij b. Thou art like the veruen,… poyson one wayes, and pleasure an other.
δ. 1530. Palsgr., 284/2. Vervyn an herbe, uerueyne.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 9 b. Thynges good for the eyes: Eyebryght: Fenell: Vervyn.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 162. The second kinde of Veruine…. The leaues of thys … are good agaynst … serpentes.
1596. Cogan, Haven Health, xxi. 41. Also one olde saying I haue heard of this herbe, That whosoeuer weareth Veruin and Dill, May be bold to sleepe on euery hill.
1610. Fletcher, Faithf. Sheph., II. i. And thou light Varvin too, thou must go after, Provoking easie souls to mirth and laughter.
1638. Rawley, trans. Bacon’s Life & Death (1650), 32. These yield a Robust heat, especially Elecampane, Garlick,… Vervin, Valerian.
a. 1802. in Leyden, Cout of Keeldar, xxiv., note. Gin ye wish to be leman mine, Lay off the St. John’s wort and the vervine.
b. With distinguishing terms, denoting varieties of this or other species of the genus Verbena. Also applied to various species of plants resembling or allied to (and sometimes formerly classed with) the vervains.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 125. Verbena recta,… Upright or straight Veruayne. Ibid. Verbena supina,… Low and base Veruayne.
1601. Chester, Love’s Mart., xlii. Base or flat Veruine, and the wholesome Tansie.
1611. Cotgr., Verveine basse, Holie Verueine, creeping Verueine. Ibid., Verveine femelle, Female Verueine. Ibid., Verveine masle, Male Verueine, straight or vpright Verueine, common Verueine.
c. 1711. Petiver, Gazophyl., X. 93. Luzone Vervain with Mint like Leaves.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Verbena, Taller broad-leav’d Portugal Vervain. Ibid., Canada Nettle-leav’d Vervain. Ibid., American Vervain with many Spikes.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v., The fine-leaved Vervain…. The narrow-leav’d nettle Vervain of America.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXII. 403/2. Stachytarpha Jamaicensis, Jamaica Bastard Vervain. Ibid. (1843), XXVI. 254/2. Verbena Aubletia, Rose-coloured Vervain…. V. [now Lippia] triphylla, Lemon-scented Vervain.
1846–50. A. Wood, Class-bk. Bot., 412. Verbena Spuria, Spurious or Jagged-leaved Vervain. V. Angustifolia,… Narrow-leaved Vervain.
1856. A. Gray, Man. Bot. (1860), 293. Verbena hastata, Blue Vervain…. V. stricta, Hoary Vervain. Ibid. (1868), Less. Bot. (1874), 340. Verbena officinalis, European Vervain.
1891. Cent. Dict., s.v. Stink, Stinking vervain, the guinea-hen weed.
c. With a and pl. A single species or plant of the genus Verbena.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. ccxlvi. 718. The Veruaines floure in July and August.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXII. 403/2. Many of them [species of Stachytarpha] have been described as Vervains, but they are distinct from that genus.
1891. F. Tennyson, Psyche, i. Garden sweets, Jasmin and vervains, and old lavender.
2. Incorrectly used to render (or represent) L. verbena: see VERBENA 1.
1548. Cooper, Elyot’s Dict., Verbenarius, was one of the ambassadours sent from the Romaines vnto their ennemies, which ware on his heade a garlande of Veruen.
1567. Golding, Ovid’s Met., VII. (1593), 159. Altars twaine of turffe she builded:… Both the which as soone as she had dight With vervine [etc.].
1600. Holland, Livy, XXX. xliii. 771. They should carrie with them every one by himselfe, certaine flint stones of their owne, and likewise Verven.
1603. B. Jonson, Sejanus, V. iv. Bestow your garlands: and, with reverence, place The vervin on the altar.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., VIII. 90. Bind those Altars round With Fillets; and with Vervain strow the Ground.
1720. Ozell, Vertot’s Rom. Rep., I. v. 276. Shall we … say to the Æqui and Sabines, take Branches of Vervain, and return and sue to us humbly for Peace?
1759. W. Mason, Caractacus, Poems 1830, II. 77. Lift your boughs of vervain blue, Dipt in cold September dew.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, I. 55. Festoon these altars and fat vervains burn.
1863. Conington, Odes Hor., IV. xi. 7. The altar, strew’d With vervain, hungers for the flow Of lambkin’s blood.
3. attrib. and Comb., as vervain family, order, root, tree, etc.; vervain-like adj.; vervain humming-bird, the small Jamaican species, Mellisuga minima; vervain-sage U.S. (see quot.).
c. 1580. G. Harvey, Marginalia, Hopperus (1913), 182. Redd Roses, Verueyn rootes,… Good for the sight.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 144. Which signifies the Ricinus, or a kind of Vervain Tree.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Veronica, American shrubby Speedwell, with vervain-like leaves.
1849. Balfour, Man. Bot., § 968. Verbenaceæ, the Vervain Family.
1861. Bentley, Man. Bot., 611. The Vervain Order.—Herbs, shrubs, or trees.
1865. Wood, Homes without H., xxviii. 560. This is the Vervain Humming Bird,… one of the minutest of the feathered race. Its popular name is derived from its fondness for the West Indian vervain.
1888. Encycl. Brit., XXIV. 163/2. The vervain genus gives its name to the natural order (Verbenaceæ) of which it is a member.
1895. Funk’s Stand. Dict., Vervain-sage, a European species of sage (Salvia Verbenaca) with small bluish flowers, sparingly naturalized in the United States.
b. Vervain mallow, a species of mallow, Malva alcea.
1548. Turner, Names Herbes (E.D.S.), 10. Alcea … in englishe … may be named Veruen mallowe, or cut mallowe.
1611. Cotgr., Guimauves sauvages, the wild Mallowes called, Veruine Mallowes, cut Mallowes, and Simons Mallowes.
1681. Grew, Musæum, II. iii. iii. 235. The Seed of the Vervaine Mallow of Japan.
c. 1710. Petiver, Cat. Ray’s Eng. Herbal, Tab. xxxix.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Alcea, The common larger vervain mallow with red flowers.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Bot., xxiv. (1794), 342. Vervain Mallow has an erect stem,… che flowers large, and light purple.
1822. Hortus Angl., II. 204. Vervain Mallow. Stem erect; lower leaves angular.
