40 
Injurious Fodder and Poisonous Plants. 
long feathery seed vessels, popularly known as “ Old Man’s 
Beard.” Place of growth: hedges and thickets, mainly 
where limestone and chalk enter into the composition of the 
soil. Perennial. 
Qualities: Browsing animals have been dangerously 
injured by eating the leaves and fruits. 
I. B.’ — Paminculus sceleratus L. (Celery Leaved Crowfoot). 
Stem: 1 ft. to 2 ft. high, hollow, juicy. Leaves : smooth ; 
cut into oblong segments. Flowers : very small, pale 
yellow. June to August. Place of growth: wet places, 
A n n u a 1. 
I. C. — Ranunculus Flammula L. (Lesser Spearwort). 
Stem: 6 in. to 18 in. high ; creeping at the base. Leaves : 
nearly entire, narrow, tapering to a point ; the margins some- 
times slightly toothed. Flowers: yellow. June to August. 
Place of growth: in wet places. Perennial. 
I. D. — Ranunculus acris L. (Meadow Crowfoot). Stem : 
1 ft. to 3 ft, high ; slender. Leaves: lower — tripartite, deeply 
cut ; upper — narrower segments, linear. Flowers : yellow. 
June and July, Place of growth: common in meadows. 
Perennial. 
II. A. — Ranunculus arvensis L. (Corn Crowfoot). 
Stem: 10 in. to 12 in. high. Leaves: linear, deeply cut, 
smooth. Flowers: yellow. June. Fruit: spinous. 
Place of growth: cornfields. Annual. 
Qualities : The above four are the most dangerous plants 
of this genus, of which all the species contain acrid poison. 
They are frequently the cause of injuries of stock and grow 
often in alarming quantities in our meadows. Of lesser 
spearwort it is said that horses eat it, and cows, sheep, and 
goats refuse it, but of meadow crowfoot, it is stated, that 
cows and horses leave this plant untouched, though the 
pasture be ever so bare. Although these statements may 
contain a certain amount of truth, many cases are, how- 
ever, known, where animals suffered greatly by eating 
these plants. The acrid substances in these plants cause 
irritation in the digestive organs of the animals. The dried 
plants have lost part of their poisonous properties, the above 
four, however, retain sufficient of them even in this condition 
to cause injury to animals when eaten amongst hay. 
II. B. — Hellehorus foitidus L. (Stinking Hellebore). 
Stem: 2 ft. high. Leaves: evergreen, somewhat 
palmate. Flowers : greenish, tipped with purple ; drooping, 
March and April. Place of growth: open woods in 
chalky districts. Perennial. 
' Tlie figures and letters in front of the names refer to the plate and 
illustration. 
