neuromuscular distress – Forage Me Not

Published October 5, 2015

Angel’s trumpet

Common name: Angel’s trumpet, moon flower

Scientific name: Datura species, Brugmansia species

Hazard associated: All parts poisonous if ingested.

Notes:

These plants are grown in gardens for their attractive flowers.
Datura species have erect flowers. Brugmansia has pendulous flowers.
Contains hallucinogenic alkaloid compounds – hycosamine and scopolamine.
Used in shamanistic medicine.
Many cases of poisoning in humans arise from deliberate ingestion of the seeds or teas made with the leaves by people seeking an altered state. Also consumption of honey from bees foraging on Angel’s trumpet has been known to cause poisoning.

Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura

Image credits:

“Brugmansia 35” by Jan Smith from Brisbane, Australia – Angel’s TrumpetUploaded by berichard. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brugmansia_35.jpg#/media/File:Brugmansia_35.jpg
“Apis mellifera (honeybee) on Datura II (3916425357)” by Marshal Hedin from San Diego – Apis mellifera (honeybee) on Datura II. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apis_mellifera_(honeybee)_on_Datura_II_(3916425357).jpg#/media/File:Apis_mellifera_(honeybee)_on_Datura_II_(3916425357).jpg

Published August 14, 2015

Castor Oil Plant

Common name: Castor Oil Plant, Castor Bean

Scientific name: Ricinis communis

Hazard associated: The coating of the seed is extremely poisonous. Reputedly, the seed cover is also pleasant tasting.

Notes:

Castor oil plants are extremely likely to trigger respiratory allergies through breathing in pollen and skin allergies from contact with sap and leaves.
Castor oil products have been used for a number of medicinal purposes and for industrial purposes such as biodiesel.
Ricin is famous as a poison used in assassinations.
Many animals are susceptible to the ricin poison, but ducks are known to be quite resistant to the effects of the toxin.

Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricinus
Image credits:

“Ricinus March 2010-1” by Alvesgaspar – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ricinus_March_2010-1.jpg#/media/File:Ricinus_March_2010-1.jpg

Published November 8, 2015

Cherry laurel

Common name: Cherry laurel

Scientific name: Prunus laurocerasus

Hazard associated: Leaves, fruit and seed are toxic if ingested.

Notes:

Children may be attracted to the berries which change from green to red to black.
Used for landscaping purposes e.g. hedges, street trees as it is a hardy, attractive plant
May become an invasive weed in parts of Australia.
Leaves are sometimes mistaken for Bay leaves (Laurus nobilis) which has led to cases of poisoning.
The leaves and seeds contain cyanogenic glycoside and amygdalin hence having the “typical almond smell” of cyanide when macerated. It is even dangerous to shred clippings from this plant.

Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_laurocerasus

Image credits:

“Prunus laurocerasus fruit detail – geograph.org.uk – 567699” by Evelyn Simak. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunus_laurocerasus_fruit_detail_-_geograph.org.uk_-_567699.jpg#/media/File:Prunus_laurocerasus_fruit_detail_-_geograph.org.uk_-_567699.jpg

Published October 16, 2015

Coral tree

Common name: Coral tree, Bat’s Wing Coral tree

Scientific name: Erythrina vespertilio, Erythrina x sykesii, other Erythrina spp.

Hazard associated: Leaves, bark and seeds are toxic if ingested.

Notes:

Children may be attracted to the bean shaped seeds.
These plants are grown in gardens for their attractive flowers.
Erythrina contains more than 100 species which display differential toxicity.

Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythrina

Image credits:

Published October 19, 2015

Fly agaric

Scientific name: Amanita muscaria

Common names: Fly agaric, fairy toadstool

Hazard associated: Contains toxins which can cause delirium, seizures and possibly coma states.

Notes:

Poisonings from eating fly agaric have occurred in children and in adults seeking “altered states”.
In the early stages of development of A. muscaria before the cap opens up, it might be mistaken for some of the edible puffballs.
Variations from the classic red with white spots look have led to A. muscaria being mistaken for other species which has led to mishaps.
This fungus has been associated with shamanism for centuries.
The lethal dosage is thought to be about 15 caps for an adult, less for a child.

Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria

Image credits:

“2006-10-25 Amanita muscaria crop” by Amanita_muscaria_3_vliegenzwammen_op_rij.jpg: Onderwijsgekderivative work: Ak ccm – This file was derived from Amanita muscaria 3 vliegenzwammen op rij.jpg:. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 nl via Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2006-10-25_Amanita_muscaria_crop.jpg#/media/File:2006-10-25_Amanita_muscaria_crop.jpg

Published August 30, 2016

Golden Chain

Common name: Golden chain

Scientific name: Laburnum anagyroides

Hazard associated: All parts of the plant are poisonous.

Notes:

These plants are commonly used in gardens for their showy chains of golden yellow flowers.
All parts, including the seeds and berries, are extremely poisonous. Eating as few as 20 seeds or 3-4 unripe berries can kill an adult.
Traditionally, this laburnum is sometimes deliberately used to induce vomiting but as so many factors can affect the dosage strength, this is not considered a good practice in modern medicine.
Other uses include pesticide manufacture and timber for woodturning.

Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laburnum_anagyroides

Image credits:

By 4028mdk09 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10224027