386 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Lachnanthes tinctoria, (Walt.) Ellis. 



A stout, tall herb with numerous yellow flowers, 6-parted perianth and few 

 seeds. 



Distribution. In salty swamps near the coast in southeastern Massachusetts, 

 Rhode Island and New Jersey to Florida. This plant is commonly called the 

 pink-root of the Atlantic coast. 



Poisonous properties. Prof. Chesnut says that throughout the South, 

 white hogs are supposed to be particlaraly subject to the poison contained in 

 this plant. Dr. Halsted says "Throughout the southern states, this plant 

 abounds and the preponderance of black over white-skinned hogs is claimed to 

 be due to this paint-root. White hogs with free access to the plant are soon 

 killed off, while black ones are not. 



This is not the only case of the color of animals seeming to have an in- 

 fluence upon their distribution. Thus, white horses in Prussia, it is claimed, 

 are injured by eating milkweed, while dark horses are not. In Sicily, there 

 are black sheep, only, as white ones are killed off by a species of St. John's 

 wort {Hypericum)." While the claim of the immunity of black pigs from the 

 effects of paint-root seems to be a common belief, further investigation should 

 be made before this should be assured definitely as a fact. 



Family Amaryllidaceae. Amaryllis Family 



Mostly perennial herbs with bulbs, rootstocks or corms ; scapose flowers 

 regular or nearly so ; perianth 6-parted or 6-lobed, the lobes or segments 

 distinct, united below into a tube, adnate to the ovary; stamens 6; style single; 

 capsules several, many seeded. About 800 species, chiefly native of tropical or 

 warm regions, a few in temperate regions. Some well known representatives are 

 daffodil, (Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus) ; Polyanthus, (N. Tazetta) ; poet's 

 Narcissus, {N. poeticus) producing intense gastro-enteritis ; Jonquil, (A^ Jonquil- 

 la) ; snowdrop, {Galanthus nivalis) ; amaryllis, {Amaryllis Belladonna) ; tuber- 

 rose, {Polianthes tuberosa), the latter widely cultivated; the American aloe 

 or agave, the most common species in cultivation being the century plant {Agave 

 americana) native to Mexico and Central America, the Mexican drink, pulque, 

 being made from the sweet liquid obtained from this plant at the time of flower- 

 ing. Several species are used for the manufacture of fibre, the best known being 

 the sisal, {Agave rigida). The mauritius hemp, {Furcraea gigantea), 

 is native to Mexico and has been introduced into Zanzibar. Many members of 

 the family have acrid properties and some of them are poisonous. Buphane 

 disticha is used by the Hottentots to poison their arrows. Poet's narcissus 

 contains psettdo-narcissin ; Amaryllis Belladonna contains bclladonin; and Spre- 

 kelia formossissima contains amaryllin, a belladonna-like alkaloid. The Lycoris 

 species contain lycorin, an alkaloid with the formula C3.,H^,N„Og, and a second 

 alkaloid kisanin, Cg^Hg^N^O,. Agave hetcracantha contains agavesaponin. Dr. 

 IMacDougal states that the sharp pointed leaves of Agave Schottii often pene- 

 trate leggins and leather shoes inflicting painful injuries. 



Zcphyrantlies. Herb 



Smooth herb with coated bull)s ; narrow leaves ; flowers scapose, large 

 erect, pink, white or purple ;periantii funnel-form from a tubular base; the 6 

 divided petals are united below into a tube subtended by an entire or 2-cleft 



