CERTAIN POISONOUS PLANTS 



A tribe of flowering plants that includes some very 

 dangerous members and needs to be treated with 

 caution, is the Parsley Family — the scientists' 

 UmheUiferae. To this order belongs the Water 

 Hemlock or Cowbane {Cicuta maculata, L.), a peren- 

 nial of marshy grounds and stream borders from the 

 Atlantic coast westward to the confines of the Rocky 

 Mountains. It grows from three to six feet high, 

 with stout, erect stems blotched or streaked longi- 

 tudinally with purple, and ample, compound leaves 

 the segments of which are usually two to three inches 

 long, lance-shaped and toothed. A peculiarity of the 

 foliage is the veining — the veins apparently ending 

 within the notches instead of extending to the tips 

 of the teeth. The small white flowers, appearing in 

 summer, are borne at the branch end in compound, 

 long-stalked umbels, after the manner of parsley 

 blossoms. All parts of the plant are poisonous if 

 eaten, producing nausea and convulsions, the fleshy, 

 tuberous roots being especially harmful. These are 

 said to possess an agreeable, aromatic taste, and as 

 they are often found exposed through the wearing 

 away of the surrounding earth in freshets, they con- 

 stitute a menace to inquisitive children and browsing 

 cattle. Death results from eating them. On the 

 Pacific coast two or three species of Water Hemlock 



239 



