a rift

vegankeeper:

Beautiful But Deadly

The death camas or meadow death camas (Toxicoscordion venenosum) is a poisonous plant native to western North America. 

“There are several species of death camas and all should be considered toxic. All parts are toxic including the leaves, flowers, bulb and pollen. The toxin in the plant is a steroidal alkaloid, zygacine. Death camas is often one of the first plants to emerge from the ground in the spring before other forage is available. If consumed, it is toxic to livestock, as well as people and pollinating insects. Sheep are most susceptible, followed by cattle, then horses. Contaminated pastures should not be grazed by sheep until later in the spring when more forage becomes available. People have mistaken the bulb for wild onion (even though it has no onion odor), eaten the bulb and died.

Seeds are the most toxic, but are rarely eaten as they are dry and unpalatable. Next toxic is the bulb, buried 6 to 8 inches deep. The leaves are the next toxic and are most likely to be eaten. Do not cut infested areas for hay, as dry leaves in hay retain their toxicity. There are no good medicinal remedies, but poisoned animals that are cared for and kept quiet may recover.

Some symptoms of ingestion include slobbering and vomiting, cyanosis, followed by weakness, staggering and convulsions, then coma for several hours or days followed by death.” -2014 Elbert County Master Gardners Newsletter

Photo © Slichter

(via moreanimalia)