Plants LXXF'L 



Vol ir. No. 7. 



GERMAN POISONOUS PLANTS, 



Fig. 1. The celery -leaved Crowsfoot. 

 {Ranunculus fccleratus-) 



I he celery - leaved Growsjoot is a poisonous 

 plant of about 2 feet nigh, and grows in wet 

 ditches and marshy grounds. The juicy flalk 

 divides itfelf into leverai branches, which form 

 a kind of hush. The ftalks of the leaves are 

 fhort, clofe to the main ftem; and branch out 

 into three leparate leaves, which are long poin- 

 ted , and jagged at the fides. At the ends of 

 the branches the filiali , yellow , five leav'd flo- 

 wer appears about May, and in the middle of 

 this blofTom an oval green fruit containing 

 the feeds. The poifonous qualities of this plant 

 are very great. Even the Effluvia arifing from 

 the plant when bruis' d oceafions pain and ftupe- 

 faction. The juice, when it touches the fkin, 

 oceafions very virulent obftinate ulcers, which 

 are difficult to cure. This juice taken inwardly 

 oceafions the moft violent pain , and if taken in 

 any quantity is even mortal. Water and Milk 

 drunk copiously are the heft antidotes. In fome 

 few cafes it may be us'd in médecine, but al- 

 ways with the greateft precaution. 



Fig. 2. The Mezerion* 

 (Dap J ine Mezereuiii.) 



The common TVIezerion grows in many parts 

 of Germany, in all fhady woods except thofe of 

 fir. It is a fhrup , which grows in its wild fiate 

 only a few feet high; but in Gardens, where it is 

 often transplanted on account of its agréable blof- 

 fom, and ufeful bark, it atteins if attended to, 

 the height of 12 and. even 16 feet. Its peach - co- 

 lo ur'd bloffoms appear before the leaves in Fe- 

 bruary and March, grow clofe to the branches 

 without ftalks, and have a very agréable odour. 

 They bear oval red berries, which contain a itone, 

 or feed, are ripe in July and then become blackifh. 

 Thefe berries are poifonous. When eaten they oc- 

 cafion a violent loofenefs, which fometimes final- 

 ly proves mortal. The Ianceolated leaves grow al- 

 ternately on each fide of, and clofe to the bran- 

 dies , and above the bloffoms and fall off in Au- 

 tumn, ïn Médecine the bark of the Mezerion is 

 often us'd. It is laid externally upon the fkin to 

 excite blifters, being of a cauftic nature; this is 

 practis'd for inflammations of the eyes and for di- 

 feafes arifing from vicious humours. In Sweden 

 the fcrapM bark is laid with fuceefs upon the 

 wounds occafion'd hy the bite of venemous fna- 

 kes. The Painters prepare a red colour from the 

 berries» 



