The Circaea, or enchanter’s nightshade, is a genus of flowering plants in the evening primrose family, Onagraceae. This genus includes around two dozen taxa, with eight species identified. They thrive in the temperate and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, three taxa are found: Circaea alpina, Circaea canadensis, and the hybrid Circaea × sterilis. The name “Circaea” originates from Circe, a Greek enchantress who used the herb as a charm.
Circaea plants are perennial and herbaceous, featuring erect stems that may be branched. They have opposite leaves with toothed edges. The flowers grow in terminal racemes, displaying 2 sepals, 2 petals, and 2 stamens that align. Petals may be white or pink. The fruit is a capsule containing one or two seeds, and the seeds are dispersed by burrs that attach to animals or clothing.
