Cicuta virosa
| Cicuta virosa | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Cicuta |
| Species: | C. virosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cicuta virosa | |
Cicuta virosa,thecowbaneornorthern water hemlock,[2]is a poisonous species ofCicuta,native to northern and central Europe, northern Asia and northwestern North America.
Description
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It is aperennialherbaceousplant which grows up to 1–2 m tall. The stems are smooth, branching, swollen at the base, purple-striped, and hollow except for partitions at the junction of theleavesand stem. In cross section the stems have one flat side and the other sides are rounded. The leaves are alternate, tripinnate, only coarsely toothed, unlike the ferny, lacy leaves found in many other members of the familyApiaceae.Theflowersare small, white and clustered in umbrella shaped inflorescences typical of the family. The many flowered umbellets have unequal pedicels that range from 5 to 11 cm long during fruiting. An oily, yellow liquid oozes from cuts to the stems and roots. This liquid has a rank smell resembling that ofparsnipsor carrots. The plant may be mistaken for parsnip due to its clusters of white tuberousroots.
It grows inwet meadows,along streambanks and other wet and marshy areas.
History
[edit]Scholars dispute whether a hemlock of the genusCicutaor the genusConiumserved in ancientGreeceas a state poison, administered as a method of capital punishment. The GreekphilosopherSocratesdrank a cup of some kind of hemlock infusion at his execution in 399 BC.Cicuta virosais however primarily a northern European species, rare or absent from the Mediterranean region, making its use in Greece unlikely. SeePoison hemlockfor more information.
The dose of hemlock used for Greek executions was not always immediately fatal, and sometimes it proved necessary to administer a second cup of the poison.
- ...having drunk all the Hemlock juice, the quantity was found insufficient and the executioner refused to prepare more unless he was paid 12drachmas.
- —from an account[3]of the execution ofPhocionin 318 BC
Considering the extreme toxicity ofCicuta virosa,this passage provides further evidence that it was not the species of hemlock used.
In the past, this plant has had a number of colorful names, including Mackenzie's water hemlock,[4]Beaver-poison, Children's-bane, Snakeweed and Musquash-poison.[5]
Toxicity
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The plant containscicutoxin,which disrupts the workings of thecentral nervous system.In humans, cicutoxin rapidly produces symptoms ofnausea,emesisandabdominal pain,typically within 60 minutes of ingestion. Poisoning can lead totremorsandseizures.A single bite of the root (which has the highest concentration of cicutoxin) can be sufficient to cause death. In animals the toxic dose and the lethal dose are nearly the same. One gram of water hemlock per kilogram of weight will kill a sheep and 230 grams is sufficient to kill a horse. Due to the rapid onset of symptoms, treatment is usually unsuccessful.
Fossil record
[edit]Cicuta virosafossilfruit halves are described rare in thePlioceneofEuropebut common in thePleistoceneinterglacialfloras of theEast European Plain.[6]
References
[edit]- ^Lansdown, R.V. (2014)."Cicuta virosa".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2014:e.T167932A42415001.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T167932A42415001.en.Retrieved19 November2021.
- ^"Cicuta virosa".European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization(EPPO).Retrieved15 May2021.
- ^"Ancient Poisons".Portfolio.mvm.ed.ac.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-03-21.Retrieved2013-08-15.
- ^Mulligan, Gerald A. (1980). "The genusCicutain North America ".Canadian Journal of Botany.58(16): 1755–1767.doi:10.1139/b80-204.
- ^ Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913.An illustrated flora of the Northern United States, Canada from Newfoundland to the parallel of the southern boundary of Virginia, and from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the102nd meridian.[S.l.]: Scribner.ISBN0486226433page 658.
- ^ThePlioceneflora of Kholmech, south-easternBelarusand its correlation with otherPliocenefloras ofEuropeby Felix Yu. VELICHKEVICH and Ewa ZASTAWNIAK - Acta Palaeobotanica 43(2): 137–259, 2003
External links
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