I 
THE MEADOW DEATH CAMAS AS A POISONOUS PLANT. 13 
SUMMARY. 
Zygadenus venenosus (meadow death camas) is the species of death 
camas that is especially characteristic of the States bordering on the 
Pacific Ocean. 
The plant affects sheep more than any other class of animals. 
Many horses, however, are poisoned and some are killed. While it 
is poisonous to cattle, few are injured under range conditions. Swine 
are probably not harmed, because they promptly expel the plant by 
vomiting. 
Z. venenosus is about equally toxic with grassy death camas 
(Z. gramineus), and these plants are three times as toxic as the Great 
Basin foothill death camas (Z. paniculatus) and seven times as toxic 
as the mountain death camas (Z. elegans). 
While Z. venenosus and Z. gramineus have about the same toxic 
dose, the lethal dose of Z. venenosus is much greater. It follows that 
in the production of deaths Z. gramineus is the more dangerous. 
Z. venenosus and Z. paniculatus are about equally dangerous, so far 
as the production of deaths is concerned. 
LITERATURE CITED. 
Fleming, C. E., N. F. Peterson, M. R. Miller, and L. H. Wright. 
1921. Death camas. Bui. 101, Univ. New, Agr. Exp. Sta. 
Marsh, C. Dwight, A. B. Clawson, and Hadleigh Marsh. 
1915. Zygadenus or death camas. Bui. 125, U. S. Dept. Agr. 
Marsh, C. Dwight, and A. B. Clawson. 
1922. The death camas species Zygadenus paniculatus and Z. elegans as 
poisonous plants. Bui. 1012, U. S. Dept. Agr. 
Nelson, Sofus B. 
1906. Feeding wild plants to sheep. Bui. 73, Wash., Agr. Exp. Sta. 
