Cicuta
2313520
223878572
2008-07-06T08:40:51Z
Kyle the bot
3115531
robot Adding: [[zh:毒堇]]
{{Taxobox
| name = ''Cicuta''
| image = Illustration_Cicuta_virosa0.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Cicuta virosa''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Apiales]]
| familia = [[Apiaceae]]
| genus = '''''Cicuta'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''[[Cicuta bulbifera]]''<br/>
''[[Cicuta douglasii]]''<br/>
''[[Cicuta maculata]]''<br/>
''[[Cicuta virosa]]''
}}
'''''Cicuta''''' ('''Water Hemlock''' or '''Cowbane''') is a small genus of four species of highly [[poison]]ous [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Apiaceae]], native to temperate regions of the [[Northern Hemisphere]], mainly [[North America]]. They are [[Perennial plant|perennial]] [[herbaceous]] plants which grow up to 2 m tall. The species grow in wet meadows, along streambanks and other wet and marshy areas.
Although water hemlock bears a superficial resemblance to [[poison hemlock]] (''Conium'' [[genus]])--and is a member of the same family--the species are distinct.
==Appearance==
The stems are smooth, branching, swollen at the base, purple-striped, or mottled (''C. malculata'' only), and hollow except for partitions at the junction of the [[leaf|leaves]] and stem. The leaves are alternate, tripinnate, only coarsely toothed, unlike the ferny, lacy leaves found in many other members of the Apiaceae. The [[flower]]s are small, white and clustered in the umbrella shape so familiar to this family. An oily, yellow liquid oozes from cuts to the stems and roots. This liquid has a rank smell resembling that of parsnips, carrots or mice.
One reliable method to identify water hemlock is to examine the leaf veins. Water Hemlock is unique in the Parsley family in that it has leaf veins which terminate in the notches between the leaf tips rather than extend to the tip of the leaf as is found in the leaf structure of [[Angelica]], [[Osha]], [[Cicely]], [[Osmorhiza]] and other useful medicinal members of the [[Parsley]] family. Water Hemlock bears a frightening resemblance to [[Osmorhiza]] (Western Sweet Cicely) and [[Angelica]], and these plants can at times be found growing in the same habitat. However, Water hemlock lacks the distinctive anise-like "spicy celery" odor of Sweet Cicely and Angelica, and possesses a unique leaf vein structure which differenciates it from all other umbelliferates.
==Toxicity==
The plant is occasionally mistaken for [[parsnip]]s, due to its clusters of white tuberous [[root]]s; this is an often fatal error, as the ''Cicuta'' is extremely poisonous. Indeed, some consider water hemlock to be North America's most toxic plant.<ref>http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=9996 "USDA Poisonous Plant Research Products: Water hemlock". Accessed 1/27/07.</ref> Cicuta is fatal when swallowed, causing violent and painful [[convulsions]]. Though a number of people have died from water hemlock poisoning over the centuries, [[livestock]] have long been the worst affected (hence the name "cowbane"), causing death in as little as 15 minutes. <ref>http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/poison/plants/ppwater.htm "Poisonous Plants Slides: Water Hemlock" Accessed 1/27/07.</ref>,<ref>USDA.</ref>
The chief poison is [[cicutoxin]], an unsaturated aliphatic alcohol that is most concentrated in the roots. Upon human consumption, [[nausea]], [[vomiting]], and tremors occur within 30-60 minutes, followed by severe [[cramp]]s, projectile vomiting, and convulsions. There are occasional long-term effects, like [[retrograde amnesia]].<ref>http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=1455113&pageindex=1#page David J. Costanza, M.D., and Vincent W. Hoversten, M.D., "Accidental Ingestion of Water Hemlock." Calif Med. 119: 78-82, Aug. 73.</ref> Ingestion of water hemlock ''' ''in any quantity'' ''' can result in death or permanent neurological damage of the central nervous system.
;Species
*''[[Cicuta bulbifera]]'' - Bulblet-bearing Water Hemlock. Northern North America.
*''[[Cicuta douglasii]]'' - Western Water Hemlock. Western North America.
*''[[Cicuta maculata]]'' - Spotted Water Hemlock. North America (widespread).
*''[[Cicuta virosa]]'' - Cowbane or Northern Water Hemlock. Northern [[Europe]] and [[Asia]], also [[Alaska]].
==External links==
*[http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant27.htm Purdue University: "27. Spotted Water Hemlock". Accessed 1/27/07.]
*[http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/aquatics/cicutamac.html Rook.org: "Spotted Water Hemlock, ''Cicuta maculata''." Accessed 1/27/07.]
== References ==
<references/>
[http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/publications/poison/poison.html Texas State Department of Health and the National Safety Council.]
* Edible and Medicinal plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, ISBN 0-87842-359-1
[[Category:Apiaceae]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Poisonous plants]]
[[es:Cicuta (género)]]
[[fr:Cicuta]]
[[nl:Cicuta]]
[[pl:Cykuta]]
[[zh:毒堇]]