Difference between revisions of "Zigadenus venenosus"

Latest revision as of 11:27, 7 July 2010

Zigadenus venenosus, commonly called death camas or meadow deathcamas, is a flowering plant in the genus Zigadenus belonging to the Melanthiaceae. It grows up to 70 cm tall with long, basal, grass-like leaves.^[1][2] The bulbs are oval and look like onions but do not smell like onions.^[3] The flowers are cream coloured or white and grow in pointed clusters^[3], flowering between April and July.^[4] Death camas occurs in some parts of western North America^[1] and can be easily confused with edible onions of genus Allium^[3]. They tend to grow in dry meadows and on dry hillsides as well as sagebrush slopes and montane forests. ^[3][4] Called alapíšaš in Sahaptin.

All parts of the plant are poisonous. It is dangerous for humans as well as livestock, though some poisoned by it have been treated.^[4] Alkaloids are responsible for the plants being poisonous and it's said eating rich fish or beef broth, grease, or butter may counteract the poison.^[3] The Meadow Deathcamas Toxicoscordion venenosum (called ałtsíniitsoh, literally "big mariposa lily") was used by the Navajo for treatment of coyote bites.

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Zigadenus venenosus in Flora of North America @ efloras.org
2. ↑ Meadow Death-camas - Zigadenus venenosus
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Turner, Nancy J. Food Plants of Interior First Peoples (Victoria: UBC Press, 1997) ISBN 0-7748-0606-0
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Meadow Death-camas - Zigadenus venenosus

External links