Here is some further feedback in a different mail from Anand ji: "About Lantana Wikipedia says that 'Leaves are somewhat poisonous to most animals, while their fruit is a delicacy for many birds which distribute the seeds. ' Elsewhere the same article says 'Lantana berries are edible when ripe though like many fruits are mildly poisonous if eaten while still green'.
About cowage(Mucuna pruritum)the following link says about its poisonous nature: http://www.aircav.com/survival/appc/sappcp02.html I admit I dont have any personal knowldge about this plant. A large no. of homeopathic medicines are derived from poisonous plants. Opium derivatives are used as medicine. Castor oil the violent purgative is used as a medicine. Snake venom is used to make anti-venom. akbhatt" 2009/1/4 Madhuri Pejaver <[email protected]> > nice article. > madhuri > > > --- On Thu, 1/1/09, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: > > > From: J.M. Garg <[email protected]> > > Subject: [indiantreepix:6974] Re: some poisonous plants of India > > To: "Anand Kumar Bhatt" <[email protected]> > > Cc: "Indian Tree Pix" <[email protected]> > > Date: Thursday, January 1, 2009, 7:27 PM > > What a wonderful presentation, Anand ji. > > > > 2009/1/1 Anand Kumar Bhatt <[email protected]> > > > > > I have writtten a short article on Poisonous Plants Of > > India. Hope you like > > > it. I am attaching some photographs as well, in this > > and next mail. > > > akbhatt > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > > > *Some Poisonous Plants of India* > > > > > > > > > > > > During childhood days, one heard stories about sadhus > > who were in the habit > > > of taking dhatura seeds which were considered > > poisonous. One also read about > > > vishkanyas in ficion and about poison arrows in fact > > and fiction. The story > > > about vishkanyas is fascinating, and so is that of > > poisons in which arrow > > > darts were slaked, both in the tribal societies and > > among more civilized > > > people. But let us first take something more in our > > vicinity: poisonous > > > plants. There are several species which are poisonous > > or injurious to human > > > body in some way or the other. And you can find them > > in your garden or > > > planted by the Forest department as a roadside tree > > with or without the > > > knowledge about their effects on human body system. > > > > > > > > > > > > Poisoning can be by contact (causing skin irritation), > > ingestion (causing > > > internal poisoning), absorption (by the skin) and > > inhalation (in the > > > respiratory system). > > > > > > Some surfing on the net told me startling facts. Some > > plants which we > > > consider harmless are actually not so. And many which > > are used in some > > > way or the other in medicines (especially in > > homeopathic pharmacology), in > > > raw from are certainly not so benign. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Let us start with Bakain, which is a sister to our > > famous neem tree, known > > > in English as chinaberry or scientifically as Melia > > azedarach. (Neem is > > > Azadirachta indica). All pats of Bakain tree are > > dangerous if eaten. Leaves > > > are used as insect repellents in stored grains and > > we arre suitably > > > warned that when those cereals are eaten, care should > > be taken to remove all > > > Bakain leaves from it. This tree can be often found > > in our country > > > either on the roadside, or in large gardens, and one > > should be aware of its > > > deathly qualities. Although its fruit is poison to > > humans, birds gorge on > > > it, and reach a level of 'intoxication'. > > > > > > > > > > > > Oleander (Nerium oleander) Is another garden plant and > > all parts of the > > > plant are poisonous. Its wood if used to cook food > > can poison it by the > > > fumes. This bush has attractive flowers: pink, yellow > > or white (tubular) or > > > double pink flowers. One can find it all over the > > country. My first posting > > > was as Sub-divisional Officer in Jashpur, a large > > subdivision of Raigarh > > > district and connected by rail to the district > > headquarters 213 kms. away. > > > It was a small erstwhile state, with majority of > > tribals in the area, and > > > therefore not having richness which could give it the > > opulence of Jaipur, > > > Indore or Gwalior. Well, duiring the state time there > > was an English Diwan > > > who had planted double pink oleander all through the > > road from Jashpur to > > > Raigarh in his area. It was the border of Kasabel > > development block. There > > > is another plant called Pangi (pangium edule) found in > > South East Asia where > > > all parts of the plant are poisonous especially the > > fruit. > > > > > > > > > > > > In Castor oil plant (Ricinus communis), all parts of > > the plant are > > > poisonous to eat. > > > > > > The next is Lantana (Lantana camara) where all parts > > are poisonous if > > > eaten and can be fatal.It can also create dermatitis > > in some. > > > > > > > > > > > > Renghis or rengas tree or marking nut (Gluta) causes > > dermatitis similar to > > > poison ivy and poison oak (discussed later). > > > > > > > > > > > > Lantana, castor oil plant, oleander and marking nut > > tree are endemic to > > > India. > > > > > > The other plant worth mentioning in this regard is > > Rosary pea (Abrus > > > precatorious) which is a vine, and has beautiful black > > and red seeds. It > > > is most dangerous and one seed is enough to kill an > > adult. This is found in > > > India sporadically. It is known as ghumchi or ratti. > > Its seeds are > > > surprisingly unvarying in weight and were used by > > goldsmiths in our country > > > to weigh gold. One seed was equal to one ratti. One > > tola is 11.66 gm. 1 Tola > > > is 12 Masha, and 1 Masha is 8 ratti. So one ratti is > > about 120mg. Whereas > > > one carat is 200 mg.In Hindu gemology, especially > > related to astrology, > > > ratti and carat are considered and treated almost > > synonymously. I vaguely > > > remember that in my nana's village, he had planted > > a lot of henna tres along > > > the boundary of his homestead, and one of them had > > this creeper whose seed > > > pods dried and opened showing the red and black gems > > inside. I also remember > > > that as a child of 3-4 years I climbed the bush (not > > much of mountaineering > > > I assure!) and plucked those seeds. But nobody told me > > then or later about > > > its toxic properties, for obvious reasons if anybody > > knew. > > > > > > > > > > > > Another plant I could mention is Strychnine tree (Nux > > Vomica). Berries > > > contain the seed which yield strychnine. Al parts of > > the plant are > > > poisonous, This is a native of tropics and non-tropics > > of South East > > > Asia and Australia. > > > > > > > > > > > > Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and poison oak > > (Toxicodendron > > > diversibba) cause serious contact dermatitis. Poison > > sumac (Toxicodendron > > > vemix) has similar effect. All parts of the plant can > > cause serious > > > dermatitis at all times of the year. This plant is > > native to wet, acid > > > swamps of North America. > > > > > > > > > > > > Renglas tree or the marking nut (which was used by our > > washermen to mark > > > the clothes wih distinctive mark of the owner so that > > their clothes are not > > > mixed up. lt has flowers similar to poison oak and > > poison ivy and causes > > > dermatitis. This plant is native to India, and East > > and South-east Asia. > > > > > > > > > > > > Trumpet vine (campsis radicans) causes dermatitis. It > > is found throughout > > > eastern and central North America in wet woods and > > thickets. > > > > > > > > > > > > Once I went on short course to Nainital, a nice and > > cosy hill station in > > > Uttarakhand. The blanket in the guest house there gave > > a strong dermatitis, > > > with itching sensation and urge to scratch for 30-40 > > seconds, in the calf > > > region. Any kind of dermatitis is not something to be > > talked about, and so I > > > kept mum thinking that in a few days when I went back > > to Delhi, I would > > > consult a physician. At the end of the course, when we > > were going by bus to > > > Delhi, one fellow participant very coolly announced > > that now he was going to > > > scratch, and he did. Later I came to know that about > > half a dozen trainees > > > were thus afflicted which resulted from the room boys > > sunning the blankets > > > on the lawn. Why I mention this is that only those who > > have had this can > > > appreciate how violent the itching sensation can > > become in some kinds of > > > dermatitis. I don't remember now, but I think the > > Nainital itching subsided > > > after a few days on its own. Or may be I used calamine > > on the advice of the > > > physician. Althoough I haven't done it ever (I was > > considered a studious > > > type) but in stories one heard of leaves which was > > put on teacher's chair > > > folloed by the violent reaction. > > > > > > > > > > > > I cannot resist the temptation of mentioning a few of > > more deadly plants. > > > Death camas or death lily (Zigedenus species )has > > onion-like plant, but it > > > does not have onion smell. All parts of the plant are > > very pisonous. It is a > > > native of US (North and East), and American Western > > subarctic. > > > > > > > > > > > > Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) is native to Eurasia > > and is extrememly > > > poisonous. Easy to confuse with carrot or > > Queen's lace. At another place > > > the writer has said that that it can be mistaken for > > fennel, wild carrot or > > > parsley, The habitat is swamp, streambank and wet > > meadow. > > > > > > > > > > > > Water hemlock (Cicuta maculata) is also a deadly > > poison. Small amount may > > > cause death. This is again a native of US and Canada > > and grows in swamps,wet > > > meadows,stream banks and ditches. > > > > > > > > > > > > In Cowage (Mucuna pruritum) contact with pods and > > flowers causes irritation > > > and blindness if it is in the eyes. All parts of the > > plant are poisonous > > > if eaten, and can be fatal. > > > > > > > > > > > > The Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella) is extremely > > toxic. It can cause > > > serious dermatitis even after ½ hour. It is a native > > of Florida and > > > Caribbean. > > > > > > > > > > > > Physic nut (Jatropha curcas) has yellow apple-sized > > seeds which are > > > violently purgative. All parts of the plant are > > poisonous. This is found > > > throughout the tropics and south USA.This Jatropha is > > looks like the same > > > species that is being developed as a bio-fuel. > > > > > > > > > > > > Among some other popular Indian plants, the famous > > Raat ki Rani(cestrum > > > nocturnum) is poisonous, ncluding its white berry. > > Dhatura (Dhatura > > > metel)contains highly toxic alkaloids, the main being > > scopolamine. This > > > hallucinogen is present in highest concentration in > > leaves and seeds. Often > > > it is mixed with food articles for robbing innocent > > passengers. This plant > > > and its intoxicant properties have been known in India > > since prehistoric > > > times. Shiva is associated with its flower and seeds. > > Madar or kanak > > > (calotropis gigantean and C. procera) is considered by > > many to be poisonous, > > > however its milky juice, flowers, rootbark and leaves > > are used in medicine. > > > It also attracts butterflies, and I don't think > > that it has poisonous > > > qualities. The flowers are of two colours: purple and > > white. White is rarer, > > > and its roots are used to carve icons of Ganesh. > > > > > > > > > > > > You saw above how some poisonous plants resemble > > plants that are used by > > > men for eating and otherwise, and so one has to be > > very particular in > > > choosing what to eat if the plant is not known to him. > > Good old days when > > > I had some land in a village and my father used to > > stay there, I remember > > > that with a minor millet there used to be some > > poisonous grass which was > > > impossible to separate from the grain plant whether in > > the beginning or at > > > the time of harvesting. So sometimes when the person > > ate that poison grain > > > along with that the cooked real grain, he used to > > sleep and sleep. He > > > could get up only in the late afternoon. This was a > > known phenomenon and > > > nobody bothered if somebody was thus affected. There > > is another pulse > > > closely resembling tuar which is known as Khesari, and > > if it is eaten in > > > the form of a loaf made out of its flour, it brings an > > affliction known as > > > lathyrism with twisted swollen knees. This low grade > > pulse is used, > > > hopefully not extensively, to adulterate tuar. > > Argemone seeed has been > > > used to adulterate mustard oil because of its close > > resemblance to the > > > mustard seed. There was a havoc in Delhi a few years > > ago because of such > > > adulteration. The use of such adulterated oil in > > cooking brings lethal > > > dropsy. > > > > > > . > > > > > > > > > > > > We live in dangerous times and dangerous world. > > Dangerous times as the > > > world has become smaller and any plant seed can land > > up anywhere. See the > > > nuisance parthenium (gajar ghas which some people > > jokingly called > > > congress grass!) has created when it came with > > Mexican wheat seeds (its > > > flower causes skin irritation). Moreover, it has > > become a weed. > > > > > > > > > > > > I think I have revealed enough to make you worried at > > least for the night > > > for you and your family. Next time we shall deal with > > something more > > > fictional and less nearer to you (vishkanyas and arrow > > poisons!). Good > > > night. > > > > > > -- > > > Anand Kumar Bhatt > > > A-59, B.S.F.Colony, Airport Road > > > Gwalior. 474 005. > > > Tele: 0751-247 2233. Mobile 0 94253 09780. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > With regards, > > J.M.Garg > > "We often ignore the beauty around us" > > Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 > > For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ > > join Google e-group > > (Indiantreepix) > > http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en > > > > > > > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg "We often ignore the beauty around us" Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
