Page 33 - (DK) Danger! Open with Extreme Caution!

2 Doll’s eyes
Named after its startling appearance,
the entire plant is poisonous but the berries
pack a particular punch. If you pop an eye
into your mouth, the poison relaxes heart
muscle tissue, leading to cardiac arrest
and death—all in the blink of an eye.

Rosary pea 1

Pea-shaped pods along this
vine split open when dry to
reveal bright red pealike
seeds. Popping a few peas
leads to drooling, vomiting,
a high temperature, convulsions,
seizures, and may eventually
cause death. You most
definitely must mind these Ps.

Larkspur 3
These blue-purple plants are
popular in gardens, but they are packed
with alkaloids. A nibble on the leaves
and flowers brings intense burning of
the mouth and throat, a feeling of
lightheaded confusion, severe
headaches, vomiting, and, Water hemlock 3
at worst, suffocation.
This relative of the parsnip is extremely
poisonous. The toxins—concentrated in
the roots, but also found in the leaves and
stems—act so quickly that there may be no time for
treatment. Touching hemlock can cause a reaction, but
should you ingest it, expect grand mal seizures, loss of
consciousness, violent muscle contractions, and
possible death. Stick to its harmless relative.

4 Narcissus

Are daffodils a delightful sign of spring or toxic killers?
Both! The onionlike bulbs are the enemies, not the flowers.
The bulbs contain a strong poison that can numb the nervous
system and paralyse heart muscle with deadly consequences.

POISONOUS PLANTS 33
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.