Death Camas
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- For other plants named deathcamas, see Zigadenus.
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 Zigadenus venenosus var. venenosus
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The Death Camas or Meadow Deathcamas (Zigadenus venenosus) is a flowering plant in the genus Zigadenus. Up to 70 cm tall with long, basal, grass-like leaves.[1][2] The bulbs are oval and look like onions but do not smell like onions.[3] The flowers are cream coloured or white and grow in pointed clusters[3], flowering between April and July.[4] Death camas occurs in some parts of western North America[1] and can be easily confused with edible onions of genus Allium[3]. They tend to grow in dry meadows and on dry hillsides as well as sagebrush slopes and montane forests. [3][4]
All parts of the plant are poisonous. It is dangerous for humans as well as livestock, though some poisoned by it have been treated.[4] Alkaloids are responsible for the plants being poisonous and it's said eating rich fish or beef broth, grease, or butter may counteract the poison.[3]
Meadow Death-camas, Deadly Zigadenus (pop)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Zigadenus venenosus in Flora of North America @ efloras.org
- ^ Meadow Death-camas - Zigadenus venenosus
- ^ a b c d e Turner, Nancy J. Food Plants of Interior First Peoples (Victoria: UBC Press, 1997) ISBN 0-7748-0606-0
- ^ a b c Meadow Death-camas - Zigadenus venenosus
[edit] External links
