Shado Béni

shado béni the mysterious and highly variable name given in the W. Indies to Eryngium foetidum, a plant native to tropical America which is used as a flavouring herb. Other spellings which may be met include: shadon bené, shadow beynay, shado benni, and chadron beni. All seem to be descended from a French vernacular name, chardon béni, meaning blessed thistle. The plant is not a thistle, but has thistle-like leaves. Among the places where it is much used are Trinidad, where it is commonly found growing wild in drainage ditches etc. It is a favourite herb for use in fish dishes.