Wicked Plants Presentation by Gretchen Persbacker Based on the - PDF document

Wicked Plants Presentation by Gretchen Persbacker Based on the Book by Amy Stewart Botanical Bullies 1

Dangerous Invasives • Killer Algae • Dodder • Kudzu • Purple Loosestrife Killer Algae (Caulerpa taxifolia) • Evolved in an aquarium • Single-celled organism • Highly invasive • Contains toxin that poisons fish 2

Dodder (Cuscata) • Highly invasive • Plant parasite • Relies on a kind of “smell” to direct it to host plants Kudzu (Pueraria lobate) • Highly invasive • Import from China for erosion control • Massive taproot • Edible 3

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) • Highly invasive • Imported from Europe as an ornamental • Clogs wetlands Thorny Characters • Sand Burr • Black Locust • Rosa Rugosa 4

Sand Burr (Cenchrus echinatus) • Invasive grass-like plant hides in lawns • Can attach firmly to almost any surface • Extremely sharp Black Locust (Robina psuedoacacia) • Fast-growing; can be invasive • Long, sharp thorns • Bark, seeds and wood are poisonous • Seeds are edible 5

Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa) • Vigorous growth • Salt tolerant • Highly fragrant • Showy flowers and rose hips • Aggressive thorns • “Attack” shrub Explosive Personalities • Dwarf Mistletoe • Sandbox Tree • Witch Hazel 6

Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium) • Related to Christmas mistletoe • Parasite on conifer trees • Ripe seeds take off at sixty miles per hour Sandbox Tree (Hura crepitans) • Native to South America • Sap is caustic • Thorns are poisonous • Poisonous seeds explode when ripe and travel over 300 ft. 7

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) • Extract of bark and leaves used as astringent • Acornlike pods snap open and launch seeds up to 30 feet Just Plain Irritating • The Toxicodendrons • Stinging Nettles • Cashew • Giant Hogweed 8

The Toxicodendronds: Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac • Urushiol – not toxic, but an allergen • 15-20% of people are immune • White paper will develop brown stain when in contact with Urushiol Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica) • Tataric, oxalic, and formic acids cause the reaction • Young leaves, boiled to remove hairs, are edible 9

Cashew (Anacardium) • Oils in the tree cause reaction similar to the toxicondendrons • Nuts are steamed open as part of processing Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) • Same family as carrots & queen anne’s lace • Causes sever burns • Can induce long term photosensitivity 10

Horticultural Criminals • Magic • Peyote Cactus Mushrooms • Marijuana • Opium Poppy • Coca • Khat Magic Mushrooms (Psilocybe) • Intoxicating • Many species • Many poisonous look-alikes • Different active ingredient from fly agaric 11

Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum) • Prohibition on sales not enforced • Common garden flower • Opium not generally sourced domestically Khat (Catha edulis) • Native to Africa • Active ingredient is cathinone • Leaves are consumed fresh – loses potency after 48 hours • Creates clear- headed euphoria 12

Peyote Cactus (Lophophora williamsii) • Exception in the law for use in Native American ceremonies • Induces hallucinations • Experiences vary widely Marijuana (Cannabis sativa) • Legal in some states, but sale and possession still against federal law • Related to hops 13

Coca (Erythroxylum coca) • Native to South America • Leaves are chewed as a mild stimulant • Leaves are very nutritious • The alkaloid cocaine, extracted from the leaves, is highly addictive Herbal Intoxicants • Betal Nut • Henbane • Bison Grass • Wormwood • Sweet Woodruff • Mandrake • Morning Glory 14

Betal Nut (Areca catechu) • Addictive stimulant • Alkaloids similar to nicotine • Induces heavy saliva flow • Stains saliva red and teeth black Bison Grass (Hierochloe odorata) • Native to Europe and North America • Source of the blood thinner coumarin • Flavoring of a traditional Polish vodka, zubrowka 15

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum or Asperula odorata) • Ornamental groundcover • May wine is made by adding this to white wine • High doses can cause paralysis, coma and death Morning Glory (Ipomoen tricolor) • Common garden plant • Seeds contain small amounts of lysergic acid amide • Can induce LSD-like hallucinations 16

Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) • Native to North Africa & Mediterranean Europe • Foul odor • Allegedly key ingredient in witches’ flying potion • Intoxicating effects when ingested or distilled and inhaled Wormwood (Artemesia absinthum) • Common garden plant • Ingredient in absinthe • Contains thujone, which causes seizures and death in high doses 17

Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) • Root can grow 3-4 feet long • Key ingredient in ancient sleeping potions • Contains scopolamine, hyoscamine, and atropine • Can slow the nervous system and induce coma Natural Born Killers 18

Fiends from Foreign Lands • Curare • Deadly Nightshade • Upas Tree • Rosary Pea • Calabar Bean Curare (Chondrodendron tomentosum) • Woody vine native to South America • Arrow Poison • Contains the muscle relaxant, d-tubocurarine • Causes paralysis • Harmless if ingested 19

Upas Tree (Antiaris toxicaria) • Native to Asia • Bark and leaves contain an alkaloid that can stop the heart • Legends say that the fumes can kill from miles away Calabar Bean (Physostigma venenosum) • Tropical vine • Contains the alkaloid, physostigmine, that works like nerve gas • Used as an ordeal poison that could be accurate 20

Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladonna) • Found in Europe, Asia and North America • Contains the alkaloid atropine • Causes rapid heart rate, confusion, hallucinations, and seizures Rosary Pea (Abrus precatorius) • Tropical vine • Popular in jewelry making • Contains the toxin, abrin, which can take a few hours or a few days to kill • Prevents cells from making proteins 21

Home Grown Assassins • Coyotillo • Yew • Death Cap • Aconite • Oleander • Foxglove Coyotillo (Karwinskia humboldtiana) • Found in the American southwest • Berries contain a toxin that causes delayed paralysis • Eventually, lungs and heart are effected 22

Death Cap Mushroom (Amanita phalloides) • Found in North America and Europe • Closely resemble edible varieties • Damages liver and kidneys • ½ of a death cap can kill and adult Oleander (Nerium oleander) • Native to the Mediterranean • Popular garden shrub • Contains the cardiac glycoside, oleandrin • Causes vomiting, weakness, decreased heartrate and death 23

Yew (Taxus baccata) • Common hedge plant • Toxic, except for the red fruit • Causes heart failure • May be useful in fighting cancer Aconite (Aconitum napellus) • Popular garden plant, called monkshood or wolfsbane • Contains the alkaloid, aconitine • Paralyzes nerves, stops the heart • Skin contact can bring on cardiac symptoms 24

Foxglove (Digitalis) • Popular garden flower • Contains digoxin, used to make the heart drug digitalis • Can cause rashes, delirium, tremors, convulsions and headaches through skin contact • Causes fatal hart problems if ingested 25