Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) Week: Conium maculatum from Kashmir

[Gurcharan Singh]

Conium maculatum Linn., Sp. Pl. 243. 1753

syn: Cicuta officinalis Crantz; Coriandrum maculatum (L.) Roth; Coriandrum cicuta Crantz

Common name: Poison hemlock

Vernacular: Morkach

Tall herbaceous plant often reaching 3 m in height; leaves bipinnate with deeply serrate segments; involucre with minute bracts; rays 8-20; involucel of of 3-5 bracts, 1-2 mm long; flowers white, pedicels 2-3 times longer; fruit broadly ovoid 2-3 mm long, with prominent obtuse undulates ridges.

A highly poisonous plant, common in wastelands in Kashmir especially at lower altitudes. In ancient Greek it was used to poison convicts, the most famous victim being Socrates. He was given Poison hemlock after being condemned to death forimpiety in 399 BC

--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[Balkar Arya]

Nice pics Sir thanks for sharing

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Regards

Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964

[Rajendra Kshirsagar]

Dear Sir,

Thanks a lot for below information.

Recently i collected this plant from Mahabaleswhar (weighing 2 kg aerial parts for some research work). I was not aware of the properties of this plant.

I will caution our people while they work on this plant.

Thanks once again,

Rgds,

Rajendra Kshirsagar

[Saroj Kumar Kasaju]

This thread needs to be removed from the Sambucus page.

Thank you

Saroj Kasaju

[J.M. Garg]

I do not find any such thing here:
https://efloraofindia.com/efi/sambucus/

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With regards,
J.M.Garg, 
https://efloraofindia.com/

[Saroj Kasaju]

https://efloraofindia.com/efi/sambucus-species/

Thank you.

Saroj Kasaju