OUR POISONOUS PLANTS. 9 
leaves served to distinguish it, thinking it to be horseradish. It 
is an introduced plant and will only be met with in cultivation, or 
in old gardens or waste places, and it is so generally known to all, 
that I will not delay to describe it. I will mention, however, a 
peculiar tingling sensation which it produces when applied to the 
tongue, an effect of some duration. The anemones, the larkspurs 
(Delphinium), and the bane-berries (Acta) all contain in greater 
or less degree an active principle which becomes dissipated upon 
drying as in the case of the buttercups. Even the pretty roots of 
the common gold-thread (Coptis trifolia) are intensely bitter, and 
are sometimes used as a cure for children afflicted with diseases 
of the mouth. As a rule it is well to be cautious in our treat- 
ment of any plant the characters of which indicate that it belongs 
to the Ranunculacee. : i 
The parsley family ( Umbelliferæ) may be recognized by the 
small, generally white or yellow flowers, disposed in spreading 
umbels, with mostly compound leaves, often very delicately dis- 
sected, as in the common carrot (Daucus carota). The flowers and 
leaves of this plant, or of the parsnip or parsley, will serve as 
types of the whole order, to which belong many of our most 
noxious plants as well as wholesome vegetables. The species, 
owing to their similarity and the minuteness of the inflorescence, 
are difficult to distinguish and in consequence it can not be 
certainly affirmed how many are injurious. They are determined 
mostly from the seeds and flowers. 
This, like the last, is a suspicious order, the more so, perhaps, 
from the fact of its containing certain edible members, for which 
their noxious relatives may be mistaken. Accidents are therefore 
of quite frequent occurrence, especially among children. Our na- 
tive water-hemlock (Cicuta maculata, Fig. 4) is very poisonous. It 
is said that “a drachm of the fresh root has killed a boy in an hour 
and a half!” The plant is far too common for safety, and is found 
in swamps and wet places, even within the limits of our cities. st. 
is a tall, rank herb, the smooth stems streaked with purple, the _ 
flowers white, and the veins of the compound leaves terminating a 
in the notches. Still more to be avoided is the introduce ® 
lock (Conium maculatum) which has a very similar habit see s 
‘smell, 
is supposed to be the poison byw which the ancients bes ated 
Sep it has smooth, spotted” tenis; — an offensive i 
. itis 
