FOREST A2TD RANGE RESOURCES OF UTAH 



39 



blossom time, usually about July, cattle often graze on the plant 

 without injurious results. 



The symptoms of larkspur poisoning are vomiting, bloating, and 

 falling repeatedly. In acute cases death occurs quickly. 



LUPINE 



Lupine (Lupinus), known locally as wild pea or poison bean, 

 is a member of the pea family and is characterized by the typical 

 pea blossom. The blossoms of lupine vary in color from almost 

 white to blue and purple. The plant may be distinguished from 

 loco by its larger size and the pronounced differences in the leaves. 

 The leaves of lupine are' digitately com- 

 pound, that is, the leaflets are all 

 attached at the end of the stem like the 

 fingers of one's hand. Lupine is often 

 found growing along the slopes of 

 ridges. It is commonly found growing 

 amid sagebrush. There are very few 

 summer ranges that do not contain some 

 lupine. 



Poisoning from lupine nearly always 

 occurs after the plant has gone to seed. 

 This is because most of the poison is in 

 the pods and seeds. While all of the 

 plant contains some poison, it is unusual 

 for an animal to eat enough of the 

 plant, other than the seeds and pods, to 

 be poisoned. Horses and cattle may be 

 poisoned on lupine, but the chief loss 

 occurs among sheep. (Fig. 18.) Where 

 lupine makes up only a small percent- 

 age of the forage on a range so that 

 stock are not forced to eat large quan- 

 tities at one time, it is a valuable forage 

 plant, being very nutritious and causing 

 no ill effects. 



The symptoms of lupine poisoning are frothing at the mouth, 

 jumping stiff-legged, butting against objects, and loss of control of 

 the front legs. 



Figure 18. — Lupine (Lupinus) 

 blossom, leaf, and pod. Mostly 

 poisonous to sheep when in pod 



DEATH CAMAS 



Death camas (Zygadenus) may be recognized by its long 

 narrow grasslike leaves of a bright-green color. They are about 

 one-fourth inch wide and have a peculiar habit of turning down 

 toward the ground, forming a half circle. The small, delicate green- 

 ish-yellow flowers are borne in a long cluster on a single flower 

 stalk, the lower ones blooming first. The plant is sometimes called 

 " poison sego " from the bulbs, which resemble those of the sego-lily. 



Death camas grows in sandy soils in the foothill region through- 

 out the State, being one of the first plants to begin growth in the 

 spring after the snow goes off. It is particularly dangerous at this 

 time of year, for hungry animals will feed upon it because there is 

 no other forage available on the range so early. It dries up usually 

 by July. After that time it is not readily eaten, because it is less 

 palatable in the dried condition than other plants which have made 



