Toxicoscordion venenosum

Toxicoscordion venenosum Death Camas
in Kingston Prairie Preserve, near Stayton, Oregon
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Liliales
Family:	Melanthiaceae
Genus:	Toxicoscordion
Species:	T. venenosum
Binomial name
Toxicoscordion venenosum (S.Watson) Rydb.[1]
Synonyms[1]
Zigadenus venenosus S.Watson Toxicoscordion arenicola A.Heller Zigadenus venenosus var. ambiguus M.E.Jones Zigadenus salinus A.Nelson Toxicoscordion salinum (A.Nelson) R.R.Gates Zigadenus diegoensis Davidson Toxicoscordion gramineum (Rydb.) Rydb., syn of var. gramineum Zigadenus venenosus var. gramineus (Rydb.) O.S.Walsh ex M.Peck, syn of var. gramineum Zygadenus venenosus S.Watson, alternate spelling Zygadenus salinus A.Nelson, alternate spelling Zygadenus diegoensis Davidson, alternate spelling Zygadenus gramineus Rydb., alternate spelling, syn of var. gramineum

Toxicoscordion venenosum, with the common names death camas and meadow death camas, is a species of flowering plants in the genus Toxicoscordion, of the Melanthiaceae family. It is native to western North America.

The plant is called alapíšaš in Sahaptin,^[2] and nupqasaquǂ ("nup-ka-sa-qush") in Ktunaxa).^[2]

Description

Toxicoscordion venenosum grows up to 70 cm tall with long, basal, grass-like leaves. The bulbs are oval and look like onions but do not smell like edible onions of the genus Allium.^[3]

The flowers are cream coloured or white and grow in pointed clusters, flowering between April and July.

Varieties

Varieties include:^[1]

• Toxicoscordion venenosum var. gramineum (Rydb.) Brasher
• Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum — a variety or the solo current species classification^{[4] [5]}

Distribution

The plant is widespread across much of Western Canada, the Western United States, and northern Baja California (México).^{[1][6][7][8][9]} They tend to grow in dry meadows and on dry hillsides as well as sagebrush slopes and montane forests.^[6][10][11]

Toxicity

All parts of the plant are poisonous. It is dangerous for humans as well as livestock. Consumption of 2 to 6% of the body weight of the animal is likely to be fatal. ^{[12] [10]} Along with other alkaloids, zygacine and other toxic esters of zygadenine are the primary neurotoxic alkaloids contributing to the plant's toxicity. ^[13]

References

1. "Toxicoscordion venenosum", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2012-04-22
2. "FirstVoices- Ktunaxa words.". Retrieved 2012-07-07.
3. Montana Plant Life: Meadow Death-camas Zigadenus venenosus
4. Calflora Database: Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum (variety of species)
5. Jepson: Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum (current species classification)
6. "Zigadenus venenosus". Flora of North America. efloras.org. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
7. Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
8. Tropicos, specimen listing for Zigadenus venenosus S. Watson
9. Caflora taxon report, University of California, Toxicoscordion venenosum (S. Watson) Rydb. Meadow deathcamas
10. "Meadow Death-camas". Montana Plant Life. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
11. Turner, Nancy J. (1997). Food Plants of Interior First Peoples. Victoria, British Columbia: University of British Columbia Press. ISBN 0774806060.
12. Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System: Zigadenus venenosus
13. Majak, Walter. "Soil moisture influences low larkspur and death camas alkaloid levels". Journal of Range Management Archives. Retrieved 6 November 2013.

External links

• Calflora Database: Toxicoscordion venenosum (Meadow deathcamas)
• Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum
• USDA Plants Profile for Zigadenus venenosus var. venenosus (meadow deathcamas)
• Lady Bird Johnson Wild Flower Center: Zigadenus venenosus (Meadow death camas, death camas)
• Turner Photographics, Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest: Zigadenus venenosus (Meadow death camas)
• UC Photos gallery — Toxicoscordion venenosum