Actaea spicata

Herb Herb ([~e]rb or h[~e]rb; 277), n. [OE. herbe, erbe, OF. herbe, erbe, F. herbe, L. herba; perh. akin to Gr. forbh` food, pasture, fe`rbein to feed.] 1. A plant whose stem does not become woody and permanent, but dies, at least down to the ground, after flowering. [1913 Webster]

Note: Annual herbs live but one season; biennial herbs flower the second season, and then die; perennial herbs produce new stems year after year. [1913 Webster]

2. Grass; herbage. [1913 Webster]

And flocks Grazing the tender herb. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

{Herb bennet}. (Bot.) See {Bennet}.

{Herb Christopher} (Bot.), an herb ({Act[ae]a spicata}), whose root is used in nervous diseases; the baneberry. The name is occasionally given to other plants, as the royal fern, the wood betony, etc.

{Herb Gerard} (Bot.), the goutweed; -- so called in honor of St. Gerard, who used to be invoked against the gout. --Dr. Prior.

{Herb grace}, or {Herb of grace}. (Bot.) See {Rue}.

{Herb Margaret} (Bot.), the daisy. See {Marguerite}.

{Herb Paris} (Bot.), an Old World plant related to the trillium ({Paris quadrifolia}), commonly reputed poisonous.

{Herb Robert} (Bot.), a species of {Geranium} ({Geranium Robertianum}.) [1913 Webster]