Toxicoscordion venenosum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toxicoscordion venenosum |
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| In Kingston Prairie Preserve, near Stayton, Oregon | |
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Toxicoscordion
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| Species: |
venenosum
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Toxicoscordion venenosum, with the common names death camas and meadow death camas, is a species of flowering plants in the genus Toxicoscordion, of the Melanthiaceae family. It is native to western North America.
The plant is called alapíšaš in Sahaptin, and nupqasaquⱡ ("nup-ka-sa-qush") in Ktunaxa.
Contents
Description
Toxicoscordion venenosum grows up to 70 cm tall with long, basal, grass-like leaves. The bulbs are oval and look like onions but do not smell like edible onions of the genus Allium.
The flowers are cream coloured or white and grow in pointed clusters, flowering between April and July.
Varieties
Varieties include:
- Toxicoscordion venenosum var. gramineum (Rydb.) Brasher
- Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum — a variety or the solo current species classification
Distribution
The plant is widespread across much of Western Canada, the Western United States, and northern Baja California (México). They tend to grow in dry meadows and on dry hillsides as well as sagebrush slopes and montane forests.
Toxicity
All parts of the plant are poisonous. It is dangerous for humans as well as livestock. Consumption of 2% to 6% of the body weight of the animal is likely to be fatal. Along with other alkaloids, zygacine and other toxic esters of zygadenine are the primary neurotoxic alkaloids contributing to the plant's toxicity.
The plant is visited by a specialist mining bee, Andrena astragali, which is possibly the only bee that can tolerate its toxins.
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Kingston Prairie Preserve
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University of California Botanical Garden
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William O. Douglas Wilderness
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Washington Park (Anacortes)
See also
In Spanish: Toxicoscordion venenosum para niños
