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The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology Further reading

sainfoin

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

sainfoin [Fr.,=holy hay], leguminous perennial herb ( Onobrychis viciaefolia ) of the family Leguminosae ( pulse family) indigenous in S Europe and in temperate W Asia. Sainfoin has for centuries been widely cultivated in Europe as a forage crop. Although it was introduced into the United States about 160 years ago, it has never become agriculturally important there. It thrives on calcareous soils too dry or too barren for clover or alfalfa. The plant is sometimes associated with the Christmas story of the Infant Jesus in the manger. Sainfoin is also called esparcet and holy clover. It is classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Leguminosae.

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sainfoin

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

sainfoin herb Onobrychis viciaefolia; also lucerne, Medicago sativa. XVII. Early forms saintfoin, St. Foine — F. †saintfoin (mod. sainfoin) orig. lucerne — modL. sanctum fœnum ‘holy hay’, alt. of sānum fœnum ‘wholesome hay’, which was based on L. herba medica ‘healing plant’, itself erron. alt. of herba Mēdica, Gr. Mēdikè póa ‘Median grass’.

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T. F. HOAD. "sainfoin." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "sainfoin." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sainfoin.html

T. F. HOAD. "sainfoin." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sainfoin.html

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