spotted water hemlock

Cicuta maculata, commonly known as spotted water hemlock, is a highly toxic plant species found in North America. It belongs to the Apiaceae family and is closely related to other poisonous plants such as poison hemlock and cowbane.

The plant typically grows in wet habitats such as marshes, swamps, and along riverbanks.

All parts of the plant, including the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers, contain the toxin cicutoxin, which is a potent convulsant that affects the central nervous system. Ingestion of even a small amount of the plant can cause severe symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, tremors, seizures, respiratory failure, and death. It is considered one of the most toxic plants in North America.

Spotted water hemlock is a perennial herb that can grow up to 6 feet tall. It has hollow stems with purple blotches and compound leaves that are divided into several leaflets. The flowers are small and white, arranged in umbrella-shaped clusters at the top of the stem. The radial veins of each leaflet extend to the notches in the leaflet margin, not to the tips of the teeth as in other members of the carrot family.

There are four currently recognized varieties of spotted water hemlock. They are distinguished by the shape of the leaves, by the toothed leaf margins, and by characteristics of the fruits. The leaf characteristics intergrade completely between the varieties. To reliably distinguish between the varieties, it is important to closely examine ripe fruit.

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30.

Colony

Plant

Inflorescence

Umbel

Flowers

Leaf

Stem

Young stems are especially toxic