706 



MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Distribution. In fields and waste places, especially eastward from New 

 England to Quebec, Ontario, Minnesota, Manitoba, and Kansas. 



Cynoglossutn virginianum L. Wild Comfrey 



Perennial hirsute herb with simple stem, 2-3 feet high, leafless above; 

 stem leaves lanceolate oblong, clasping by a heart-shaped base ; flowers long- 

 peduncled, pale blue, small; fruit broad, nutlets not margined, convex on the 

 upper surface. 



Distribution. Common in woods of the central Mississippi Valley states 

 from New Brunswick to Ontario, Florida, Louisiana to Texas. 



Poisonous properties. The common hound's tongue is suspected of being 

 poisonous. The European species, C. officinale, contains a powerful alkaloid, 

 cynoglossin, which resembles curare in its action. It also has the principle 

 consolidin. 



153 



Fig. 407. Hounds-tongue (Cynoglossum of- 

 ficinale). Suspected of being poisonous. (From 

 Darlington's Weeds and Useful Plants.) 



Lappula (Rivinus) Moench. Stickseed 



Roughish pubescent or hairy herbs with alternate narrow or entire leaves, 

 small blue or white flowers in racemes or spikes; calyx deeply 5-cleft or 5- 

 parted with narrow segments; corolla salverform or funnelform. 



