Plural of hawkweed, which are plants in the daisy family known for their yellow flowers and tendency to grow in dry, rocky areas.
Compound of 'hawk' (bird of prey) and 'weed' (plant), likely named because hawks were thought to perch on or hunt near these plants, or from the folk belief that hawks consumed them. The name dates to medieval herbalism.
Hawkweeds were named in a tradition where plants were often associated with birds or animals—the idea being that if a hawk was spotted near a plant, that plant must have some hawk-related property, even if it was just imagination!
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