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POISON
HEMLOCK
(Conium maculatum)
spotted hemlock, poison parsley
Description:
Tall, much-branched plant, parsley-like foliage. At base of
the terminal umbel of small white flowers, there are lance-shaped,
deflexed bracts. Distinguished by its smooth stem, marked with
red. Has a bitter taste, a mousy or musty odor. Throughout U.S.
along roadsides, stream borders, waste ground. Deaths caused by
mistaking the root of parsnip, seeds of anise, leaves of the sweet
cicely, parsley, fennel, caraway and wild carrot.
POISONOUS:
All parts, especially seeds and hollow, fleshy, white taproot.
One mouthful of the root will kill an adult. Symptoms begin quickly,
burning in mouth and throat, vomiting, diarrhea, nervousness,
trembling, dizzy, dilation of pupils, muscular weakness, paralysis,
coldness, weakened and slow heartbeat. Death occurs through respiratory
paralysis.
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