124 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Frequently cultivated and used as a hedge plant. The ripe fruit is said to 

 be poisonous. It contains the glucosides rhamnin, rhamnetin, and rhamno- 

 cathartin. 



Rhamnus lanceolata Pursh. Buckthorn. 



Native to southern Iowa, east and south. Has the same properties as the 

 preceding species. 



Rhamnus Frangula L. 



This plant is considered as poisonous. The R. Frangula of Europe is com- 

 monly cultivated. The tropical Colletia is poisonous. 



Karwinskia Humbold,tiana Zucc. Cajotillo. 



Southwestern U. S. Dr. Mitchell of the 3rd U. S. Cavalry says that it is 

 poisonous to goats. The berries have long been regarded as very poisonous. 



Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. Ceanothus. 



This species with shiny leaves and small white flowers occurs abundantly 

 in the Rocky Mountains from New Mexico to British America, to Oregon and 

 Washington. According to Greshoff, it contains saponin in considerable quan- 

 tities. The same authority states that several other species examined by him 

 contained the same substance, among them were C. azureus Desf., and C. thyrsi- 

 florus Eschw. He also found the same substance but in less quantity in the seeds 

 of the New Jersey tea C. americanus L. and C. ovatus Desf., two shrubby 

 plants of Eastern North America, the latter being also common on the 

 east slope of the Rockies. 



Vitaceae. Grape Family. 



Psedera quinquefolia (L.) Greene. Virginia Creeper. 



Common from New England to the Rocky Mountains, especially east of the 

 Missouri River. This plant is regarded as poisonous by some. The leaves and 

 fruit abound in raphides. In this connection it may be of interest to state that 

 the fruit of Cissus nivea of the old world produces poisonous fruits, and that 

 the C. pruriens with a pleasant, acid, sweet taste produces a painful, burning 

 sensation later. The same is true of the southern Mustang Grape (V . candicans). 



Malvaceae. 



Abutilon Theophrasti (Medic) Gaertn. Velvet-Leaf. Indian Mallow. But- 

 ter Print. 



Widely naturalized in the state. The plant gives off a very disagreeable 

 odor, and is suspected of being poisonous. 



Gossypium herbaceum L. Common Cotton. 



The root of cotton is well-known as an abortive. Feeding excessive amounts 

 of cotton seed meal frequently produces death in animals, particularly in hogs. 



Dr. Crawford states that this is due to meta and pyrophosphoric acid in 

 cotton seed meal. 



Sida urens L. The Stinging Sida. 



Occurs in tropical America and produces mechanical injuries because of 

 the hairs with which it is covered. This is also true of the S. paniculata L. 

 Probably other species of Sida of the southern states may produce similar me- 

 chanical injuries. 



Hypericaceae. 



Hypericum maculatum Walt. Spotted St. John's-Wort. 

 All the species are suspected of being poisonous to horses. Vesicant. 



