Forms: 6 ely-, (alecampane, alacompane, heli-, hilicampana), 6–7 elicampane, 7 elecampana, elecompane, elecampany, elicumpany, helicampane, elcampane, 8 elecampain, (9 elicampene, alycompaine, alicompayne, allicampane), 6– elecampane. Also 7 enulacampane. [corruptly ad. med.L. enula campāna. The sb. enula is a late form of the classical inula. The pseudo-Apuleius (4th c.) and later writers identify the plant with the helenium described by Pliny; hence Linnæus adopted helenium as the specific name. In OE. inula was (corruptly) adopted as eolone (:—earlier *iluna). The adj. campana may mean ‘Campanian,’ or it may have the late sense ‘of the fields’; the latter interpretation was current in 14th c., as Glanvil distinguishes two species, hortulana and campana.]
1. A perennial composite plant, Horse-heal (Inula Helenium), with very large yellow radiate flowers and bitter aromatic leaves and root; formerly used as a tonic and stimulant.
[1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. lviii. (1495), 636. Enula is an herbe and is oft callyd Enula campana.
1540[?]. Treas. of Poore Men, 13. Elena campana.]
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helth, IV. xi. (1541), 91. Drinke therof … with the water of wilde carettes, or elycampane.
1562. Bulleyn, Bk. Simples, 15 (Britten & Holl.). Enula campana, which we common plain people call Alacompane.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 21. Innula is called … in Englishe Elecampane or Alecampane.
1599. Life Sir T. More, in Wordsworth, Eccl. Biog. (1853), II. 47. The fume of hilicampana is very pleasing.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 91. Elecampane … sprang first (as men say) from the teares of ladie Helena.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Countrey Farme, 198. The Wine wherein the root of Elicampane hath steept … is singular good against the colicke.
1657. Rumsey, Organ. Salutis, v. (1659), 25. Afterwards eat of the said Cordial made of Enulacampane, &c.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 141. Elecampain grows in many Places of England.
1794. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., xxvi. 393. The true Elecampane is distinguished by its large, stem-clasping, ovate, wrinkled leaves, downy underneath.
1876. Harley, Mat. Med., 532. Elecampane has been prescribed since the time of Hippocrates.
2. A species of sweetmeat flavored with a preparation from the root of this plant.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), Post. Groans xxix, Some long-forgotten bonbon of your boyhood (treacle, elecampane, stick liquorice).
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, I. 244. I don’t know how he spent it except in hardbake and alycompaine.
1875. F. I. Scudamore, Day Dreams, 128. I have admired Napoleon in marble, I have eaten him in elecampane.
b. attrib.
1610. Markham, Masterp., II. lii. 298. Powders of brimstone and elecampany roots.
1752. Chambers, Cycl., II. s.v. Wine, Elecampane Wine, vinum enulatum, is an infusion of the root of that plant, with sugar and currans, in white port.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 498. Its [Helenin] taste and smell are similar to those of elecampane root.
