spotted water hemlock

(Cicuta maculata)

Overview
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.

 
     
 
Description
 
 

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.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

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

 
  2/26/2023      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Apiales (carrots, ivies, and allies)  
  Suborder Apiineae  
 

Family

Apiaceae (carrot)  
  Subfamily Apioideae  
  Tribe Oenantheae  
 

Genus

Cicuta (water hemlocks)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Bolander’s water hemlock (Cicuta maculata var. bolanderi)

common water hemlock (Cicuta maculata var. maculata)

spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata var. angustifolia)

Victorin’s water hemlock (Cicuta maculata var. victorinii)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

common water hemlock

musquash-root

poison parsnip

spotted cowbane

spotted parsley

spotted waterhemlock

spotted water-hemlock

water-hemlock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Colony

 
    spotted water hemlock      
           
 

Plant

 
    spotted water hemlock   spotted water hemlock  
           
    spotted water hemlock   spotted water hemlock  
           
    spotted water hemlock   spotted water hemlock  
           
    spotted water hemlock      
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    spotted water hemlock   spotted water hemlock  
           
    spotted water hemlock      
           
 

Umbel

 
    spotted water hemlock   spotted water hemlock  
           
 

Flowers

 
    spotted water hemlock      
           
 

Leaf

 
    spotted water hemlock   spotted water hemlock  
           
 

Stem

 
    spotted water hemlock      
           
 

Young stems are especially toxic

 
    spotted water hemlock   spotted water hemlock  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Cicuta maculata WATER HEMLOCK
Frank Mayfield
 
  Cicuta maculata WATER HEMLOCK  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Environmental Laboratory - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Environmental Laboratory USACE
 
   
 
About

Published on Feb 15, 2013

Cicuta maculata - Western Water Hemlock

   
  Identifying Water Hemlock
Saskatchewan Agriculture
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Nov 15, 2011

Regional Forage Specialist Al Foster discusses identifying water hemlock . Often when springs are dry the greenest part of a pasture is the areas around sloughs and along creeks. These green areas become preferred grazing sites for cattle. Unfortunately these low-lying areas sometimes contain water hemlock, a poisonous native plant.

   
  Hidden Florida's Deadly Plant Identification: Water Hemlock
Hidden Florida
 
   
 
About

Published on Dec 15, 2012

Our store http://www.spellboundlane.com/ supports our adventures.

More Hidden Florida at http://www.hiddenfloridaphotography.com

   
  water hemlock / spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata syn. C. curtissii, C. mexicana)
UFInvasivePlantsEDU
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on May 20, 2010

Aquatic and Invasive Plant Identification Series by the UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants ( http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu ) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Invasive Plant Management Section.

For more information about water hemlock, go to http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/99

Video editor/videographer - Phil Chiocchio

   
  Water Hemlock Lesson
RichTheRidgeHunter
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 3, 2014

 

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
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