Symptoms Key to the Principal Poisonous Plants 



A botanical key, based on the flower structure and morphological 



features of plants, has proved invaluable to botanists. The value of such 



Read Carefully a key depends on the ease and definiteness with which the 



before using name of a plant can be ascertained by its use. Such 



the Key definiteness cannot be claimed for the work which follows. 

 It is, in the first place, quite conceivable that any of the symptoms 

 named might be caused by something other than the eating of a poisonous 

 plant. Even if a plant has caused the trouble, it is often impossible, 

 judging by symptoms alone, Jto decide definitely what particular species 

 is responsible. It therefore follows that the worker with poisonous species 

 must know his plants, as the botanist knows them, by a knowledge of and 

 familiarity with their distinctive characteristics. 



This key is included, however, so that when an animal exhibits symp- 

 toms of poisoning and a plant is suspected, an idea may be rapidly gained 

 of the plant that should be looked for in pasture or feed. To make a com- 

 plete diagnosis the plant must always be found and carefully identified. 



I. Injurious in Hay or Coarse Feeds. PAGE 



A. Mechanical injuries to mouth and throat 



Hordeum 36 



B. Nervous symptoms. 



(i) Hay fed for some time: 



(a) Horses incoordination, 



diarrhoea, paleness -Equisetum 27 



(b) Horses constipation, eyes 

 congested, nervous weakness, 



intoxication Pteris aquilina 33 



(c) Anaesthesia of extremities, 



gangrene Claviceps 18 



(d) Trembling, staggering, worse 



when driven Eupalorium 



urticaefolium 45 

 (ii) Feed recently changed nervous 

 symptoms, incoordination: 



151 



