Death Camas

Death Camas

Taxobox
name = Death Camas


image_caption = "Zigadenus venenosus var. venenosus"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Liliopsida
ordo = Liliales
familia = Melanthiaceae
genus = "Zigadenus"
species = "Z. venenosus"
binomial = "Zigadenus venenosus"
binomial_authority = S.Wats.

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. [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242102105 Zigadenus venenosus in Flora of North America @ efloras.org ] ] [ [http://montana.plant-life.org/species/zigaden_vene.htm Meadow Death-camas - Zigadenus venenosus ] ] The bulbs are oval and look like onions but do not smell like onions.Turner, Nancy J. "Food Plants of Interior First Peoples" (Victoria: UBC Press, 1997) ISBN 0-7748-0606-0 The flowers are cream coloured or white and grow in pointed clusters , flowering between April and July. [http://montana.plant-life.org/species/zigaden_vene.htm Meadow Death-camas - Zigadenus venenosus ] ] Death camas occurs in some parts of western North America ] and can be easily confused with edible onions of genus Allium . They tend to grow in dry meadows and on dry hillsides as well as sagebrush slopes and montane forests.

All parts of the plant are poisonous. It is dangerous for humans as well as livestock, though some poisoned by it have been treated. 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.

References

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • death camas — noun any of various plants of the genus Zigadenus having glaucous leaves and terminal racemes of mostly white flowers; all are poisonous • Syn: ↑zigadene • Hypernyms: ↑liliaceous plant • Hyponyms: ↑alkali grass, ↑Zigadenus elegans, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • death camas — noun Date: circa 1889 any of several plants (genus Zigadenus) of the lily family that cause poisoning of livestock in the western United States …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • death camas — noun a) A member of a species of poisonous, perennial, flowering plants, Zigadenus venenosus, whose bulbs (rhizomes) look, but do not smell, like onion. b) A member of any of various similar species, also called star lilies, of family… …   Wiktionary

  • grassy death camas — noun plant of western North America to Mexico; poisonous especially to grazing animals • Syn: ↑Zigadenus venenosus, ↑Zigadenus venenosus gramineus • Hypernyms: ↑death camas, ↑zigadene • Member Holonyms: ↑Zigadenus …   Useful english dictionary

  • mountain death camas — grakščioji priešvė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Melantinių šeimos dekoratyvinis augalas (Anticlea elegans), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Anticlea elegans angl. alkali grass; mountain death camas; white camas vok.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • meadow death camas — noun : a death camas (Zygadenus venenosus) that grows chiefly in wet grassland …   Useful english dictionary

  • camas — also camass or quamash noun Etymology: Nez Percé qém es, qém eš Date: 1805 any of a genus (Camassia and especially C. quamash) of plants of the lily family chiefly of the western United States with edible bulbs compare death camas …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • camas — cam·as or cam·ass (kămʹəs) n. 1. Any of several plants of the genus Camassia in the lily family, especially C. quamash of western North America, having grasslike leaves, a raceme of blue flowers, and a bulb that was an important food for various… …   Universalium

  • death camass — 1. any of several North American plants belonging to the genus Zigadenus, of the lily family, having narrow leaves and clusters of flowers. 2. the root of any of these plants, poisonous to sheep and other animals. [1885 90, Amer.] * * * death… …   Useful english dictionary

  • foothill death camas — noun : an herb (Zigadenus paniculatus) of the western United States with greenish white racemose flowers and narrow leaves that are poisonous to cattle …   Useful english dictionary

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