762 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



with suspicion. The cultivated lettuce contains several active principles as 

 follows : Lactucorol C 18 H go O, lactucol C 91 H 34 O, a small amount of hyoscyamin. 

 The bitter taste of L. canadefisis is due to lactucrin C 22 H 34 O g , and lactucopicrin 

 C 44 H 64 O 21 . I quote Dr. Millspaugh in regard to the physiological action of 

 L. canadensis. "Lactucarium, in large doses, causes: delirium, confusion of the 

 brain, vertigo and headache, dimness of vision, salivation, difficult deglutition, 

 nausea and vomiting, and retraction of the epigastric region, with a sensation 

 of tightness; distension of the abdomen, with flatulence; urging to stool fol- 

 lowed by diarrhoea; increased secretion of urine; spasmodic cough, oppressed 

 respiration, and tightness of the chest; reduction of the pulse ten to twelve or 

 more beats; unsteady gait; great sleepiness; and chills and heat, followed by 

 profuse perspiration." The L. virosa, a wild lettuce of Europe, and occasionally 

 in the Mississippi Valley, but never abundant westward, is regarded in Europe 

 as poisonous. 



4. Lygodesmia D. Don. 



Low smooth perennial herbs with linear leaves or the lower somewhat pin- 

 natifid, the upper of scales; heads 3-12 flowered, a single one terminating the 

 'branch; flowers purple or pink; achenes smooth or striate; pappus of copious, 

 somewhat unequal simple bristles. 



About 6 species of western North America. 



Lygodesmia juncca (Pursh.) D. Don. 



A tufted smooth, frequently glaucous perennial, a foot or more high, com- 

 ing from a thick woody root, copious milky juice and stems ; lower leaves rigid, 

 linear lanceolate, entire, the upper scale-like ; heads erect with purple flowers ; 

 achenes narrow-ribbed, pappus light brown. 



Distribution. Common on the plains from the Missouri river to western 

 Montana, Northwest Territory and east to the St. Croix river in Wisconsin. 

 This has been reported as a troublesome weed in corn fields in northwest Iowa, 

 troublesome also in Colorado and Montana. 



Poisonous properties. The plant is bitter like many others belonging to 

 sub-family Cichoriaceae. The milky juice no doubt contains some deleterious 

 properties. The plant is not liked by stock. 



Professors Chesnut and Wilcox say with reference to the species in Col- 

 orado : 



"This species, sometimes known as prairie pink, grows abundantly on dry prairies and 

 plains in Park, Sweet Grass, Gallatin, Meagher, Lewis and Clarke, Choteau, and Teton coun- 

 ties. The general distribution of the plant is from Minnesota to New Mexico and Nevada. 

 It has been suspected by stockmen both in Montana and Utah of being poisonous to stock. 

 The plant was not investigated, but it was ascertained that the milky orange-colored juice of 

 nonflowering plants gathered at Toston was extremely bitter and disagreeable to the taste." 



TUBULIFLORAE 



Corolla tubular in all the perfect flowers, 5-lobed, rarely 3-4-lobed, or 

 ligulate only in marginal flowers, called the ray flowers which are absent in 

 some species. 



