Wicked Plants Presentation by Gretchen Persbacker Based on the - - PDF document

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Wicked Plants

Presentation by

Gretchen Persbacker

Based on the Book by

Amy Stewart

Botanical Bullies

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Dangerous Invasives

• Killer Algae
• Dodder
• Kudzu
• Purple Loosestrife

Killer Algae (Caulerpa taxifolia)

• Evolved in an

aquarium

• Single-celled
• rganism
• Highly

invasive

• Contains

toxin that poisons fish

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Dodder (Cuscata)

• Highly

invasive

• Plant parasite
• Relies on a

kind of “smell” to direct it to host plants

Kudzu (Pueraria lobate)

• Highly

invasive

• Import from

China for erosion control

• Massive

taproot

• Edible

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Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

• Highly

invasive

• Imported

from Europe as an

• rnamental
• Clogs

wetlands

Thorny Characters

• Sand Burr
• Black Locust
• Rosa Rugosa

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Sand Burr (Cenchrus echinatus)

• Invasive

grass-like plant hides in lawns

• Can attach

firmly to almost any surface

• Extremely

sharp

Black Locust (Robina psuedoacacia)

• Fast-growing;

can be invasive

• Long, sharp

thorns

• Bark, seeds

and wood are poisonous

• Seeds are

edible

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Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa)

• Vigorous

growth

• Salt tolerant
• Highly fragrant
• Showy flowers

and rose hips

• Aggressive

thorns

• “Attack” shrub

Explosive Personalities

• Dwarf Mistletoe
• Sandbox Tree
• Witch Hazel

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Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium)

• Related to

Christmas mistletoe

• Parasite on

conifer trees

• Ripe seeds

take off at sixty miles per hour

Sandbox Tree (Hura crepitans)

• Native to

South America

• Sap is caustic
• Thorns are

poisonous

• Poisonous

seeds explode when ripe and travel

• ver 300 ft.

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Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

• Extract of

bark and leaves used as astringent

• Acornlike

pods snap

• pen and

launch seeds up to 30 feet

Just Plain Irritating

• The Toxicodendrons
• Stinging Nettles
• Cashew
• Giant Hogweed

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The Toxicodendronds: Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac

• Urushiol – not

toxic, but an allergen

• 15-20% of people

are immune

• White paper will

develop brown stain when in contact with Urushiol

Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica)

• Tataric, oxalic,

and formic acids cause the reaction

• Young leaves,

boiled to remove hairs, are edible

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Cashew (Anacardium)

• Oils in the tree

cause reaction similar to the toxicondendrons

• Nuts are steamed
• pen as part of

processing

Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)

• Same family as

carrots & queen anne’s lace

• Causes sever

burns

• Can induce long

term photosensitivity

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Horticultural Criminals

• Peyote Cactus
• Marijuana
• Coca
• Magic

Mushrooms

• Opium Poppy
• Khat

Magic Mushrooms (Psilocybe)

• Intoxicating
• Many species
• Many

poisonous look-alikes

• Different

active ingredient from fly agaric

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Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum)

• Prohibition
• n sales not

enforced

• Common

garden flower

• Opium not

generally sourced domestically

Khat (Catha edulis)

• Native to Africa
• Active

ingredient is cathinone

• Leaves are

consumed fresh – loses potency after 48 hours

• Creates clear-

headed euphoria

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Peyote Cactus (Lophophora williamsii)

• Exception in

the law for use in Native American ceremonies

• Induces

hallucinations

• Experiences

vary widely

Marijuana (Cannabis sativa)

• Legal in some

states, but sale and possession still against federal law

• Related to

hops

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Coca (Erythroxylum coca)

• Native to South

America

• Leaves are

chewed as a mild stimulant

• Leaves are very

nutritious

• The alkaloid

cocaine, extracted from the leaves, is highly addictive

Herbal Intoxicants

• Henbane
• Wormwood
• Mandrake
• Betal Nut
• Bison Grass
• Sweet Woodruff
• Morning Glory

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Betal Nut (Areca catechu)

• Addictive

stimulant

• Alkaloids

similar to nicotine

• Induces heavy

saliva flow

• Stains saliva

red and teeth black

Bison Grass (Hierochloe odorata)

• Native to

Europe and North America

• Source of the

blood thinner coumarin

• Flavoring of a

traditional Polish vodka, zubrowka

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Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum or Asperula odorata)

• Ornamental

groundcover

• May wine is

made by adding this to white wine

• High doses

can cause paralysis, coma and death

Morning Glory (Ipomoen tricolor)

• Common

garden plant

• Seeds contain

small amounts of lysergic acid amide

• Can induce

LSD-like hallucinations

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Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger)

• Native to North

Africa & Mediterranean Europe

• Foul odor
• Allegedly key

ingredient in witches’ flying potion

• Intoxicating

effects when ingested or distilled and inhaled

Wormwood (Artemesia absinthum)

• Common

garden plant

• Ingredient in

absinthe

• Contains

thujone, which causes seizures and death in high doses

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Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum)

• Root can grow 3-4

feet long

• Key ingredient in

ancient sleeping potions

• Contains

scopolamine, hyoscamine, and atropine

• Can slow the

nervous system and induce coma

Natural Born Killers

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Fiends from Foreign Lands

• Curare
• Upas Tree
• Calabar Bean
• Deadly

Nightshade

• Rosary Pea

Curare (Chondrodendron tomentosum)

• Woody vine

native to South America

• Arrow Poison
• Contains the

muscle relaxant, d-tubocurarine

• Causes paralysis
• Harmless if

ingested

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Upas Tree (Antiaris toxicaria)

• Native to Asia
• Bark and leaves

contain an alkaloid that can stop the heart

• Legends say

that the fumes can kill from miles away

Calabar Bean (Physostigma venenosum)

• Tropical vine
• Contains the

alkaloid, physostigmine, that works like nerve gas

• Used as an
• rdeal poison

that could be accurate

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Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladonna)

• Found in Europe,

Asia and North America

• Contains the

alkaloid atropine

• Causes rapid

heart rate, confusion, hallucinations, and seizures

Rosary Pea (Abrus precatorius)

• Tropical vine
• Popular in

jewelry making

• Contains the

toxin, abrin, which can take a few hours or a few days to kill

• Prevents cells

from making proteins

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Home Grown Assassins

• Coyotillo
• Death Cap
• Oleander
• Yew
• Aconite
• Foxglove

Coyotillo (Karwinskia humboldtiana)

• Found in the

American southwest

• Berries contain

a toxin that causes delayed paralysis

• Eventually,

lungs and heart are effected

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Death Cap Mushroom (Amanita phalloides)

• Found in North

America and Europe

• Closely

resemble edible varieties

• Damages liver

and kidneys

• ½ of a death

cap can kill and adult

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

• Native to the

Mediterranean

• Popular garden

shrub

• Contains the

cardiac glycoside,

• leandrin
• Causes vomiting,

weakness, decreased heartrate and death

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Yew (Taxus baccata)

• Common

hedge plant

• Toxic, except

for the red fruit

• Causes heart

failure

• May be useful

in fighting cancer

Aconite (Aconitum napellus)

• Popular garden

plant, called monkshood or wolfsbane

• Contains the

alkaloid, aconitine

• Paralyzes nerves,

stops the heart

• Skin contact can

bring on cardiac symptoms

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Foxglove (Digitalis)

• Popular garden

flower

• Contains digoxin,

used to make the heart drug digitalis

• Can cause rashes,

delirium, tremors, convulsions and headaches through skin contact

• Causes fatal hart

problems if ingested