14 BULLETIN 575, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The losses from Cicuta poisoning are not ordinarily very heavy, but 

 individual stockmen occasionally lose quite a number of animals. 



DEATH CAMAS (ZYGADENUS). 



The larger part of the losses of sheep from poisonous plants during 

 the spring and early summer months is due to the various species of 

 Z}'gadenus, or death camas. 



Plate XV, a picture of Zygadenus venenosus, gives a clear idea of 

 the general appearance of these plants. This species is common in 

 the foothill regions of the range country of the West and sometimes 

 occurs in great abundance. It starts early in the spring, before the 

 grasses, and matures during the months of May and June. By reason 

 of its green, grasslike leaves it is not easily recognized in the early 

 stages of its growth. When fully grown it is somewhat conspicuous 

 on account of its yellowish-green flowers, which make it a plant easily 

 distinguished from others. This is especially true when it is growing 

 in quantity, for acres may be covered with these rather striking 

 blossoms. 



ZYGADENUS ELEGANS. 



Another species, Zygadenus elegans, resembling the venenosus in its 

 general characteristics, is found at higher elevations in the moun- 

 tains, and grows in a similar way, but is somewhat later in maturing. 



ZYGADENUS PANICULATUS. 



Zygadenus paniculatus, of the States farther west, a picture of which 

 is given in Plate XVI, resembles very closely the venenosus and elegans, 

 but differs mainly in the more extended panicle of flowers. The illus- 

 tration also shows the seed pods of Zygadenus. 



These plants are found in practically all the grazing States of the 

 West, and, unfortunately, in many regions they have not been recog- 

 nized as injurious. In the Northwest, where recognized, the popular 

 term u lobelia" has been applied to Zygadenus. Sometimes it is 

 known as " poison sego." 



SYMPTOMS OF ZYGADENUS POISONING. 



The prominent symptoms of Zygadenus poisoning, as seen upon 

 the range, are frothing at the mouth, nausea accompanied by vomit- 

 ing, great weakness accompanied sometimes with nervousness and 

 resulting in collapse of the animal, which may lie without food for 

 hours, or even days, before death terminates the case. It is not 

 unusual for large numbers of sheep in a band to be poisoned by Zyga- 

 denus, and in such case the result is almost always heavy losses. 

 Perhaps more cases of Zygadenus poisoning have been reported from 

 Montana than from other States, but this is simply because the cases 

 have been under observation in that locality; the losses are probably 

 just as heavy in Utah, California, and elsewhere. 



