210 MEDICINAL AND POISONOUS PLANTS 



attractiveness, however, is not always a necessary element 

 of clanger in this matter, ai^pears from the following instance 

 which comes from New York. "Four children were playing 

 in one of the public parks of the city where jimson-weeds 

 were growing luxuriantly. The Ijoys imagined themselves 

 Indians and roamed about and ate parts of various plants. 

 Three of them ate the seeds of the jimson-weed. One died 



Fig. 200. — Mistletoe (Viscum album, Mistletoe Family, Luranthacece). 

 Bunches of the plant growing upon a leafless tree in winter. (Ker- 

 ner.) — Woody parasite, growing on various trees, principally apple 

 and poplars, and attaining a length of 1 ni. or more; leaves evergreen; 

 flowers greenish; fruit a white berry with viscid pulp. Native home, 

 Europe. 



in a state of wild delirium; another was saved after heroic 

 treatment; . . . the third who ate but few of the seeds was 

 but little affected." This miserable weed has one of the worst 

 records among poisonous plants. Many lives are lost through 

 permitting this plant to grow in places frequented by children. 

 A few further examples of poisonous fruits and seeds re- 

 quire mention. The green berries of the white potato, al- 

 though scarcely attractive to most people, have been eaten 



