Conium maculatumL. Poison-hemlock

Conium maculatumL. - Poison-hemlock

Scientific Description:

Aromatic herb; stem 30−200 cm, striate, glabrous, usually purple-spotted. Basal leaves up to 4-pinnate/ternate, with petiole up to 60 cm; ultimate segments elliptic, 0.5−1 cm, usually pinnatisect. Umbels 8−14-rayed, bracts and bracteoles 3−6, foliaceous, c. 3 mm. Mericarps c. 2.5 × 1.5 mm, ridges straight to ± sinuous and interrupted.

Flowering time: April−August.

Habitat: Woods and stream banks, more usually in man-made habitats near water, s.l.−2400 m.

Reference:
Stevens PF (1972). Conium maculatum L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinurgh, 4: 380.

Public Description:

Conium maculatum, known as “poison-hemlock”, is native to Europe, Türkiye and North Africa. It is a poisonous biennial herbaceous plant with white flowers and grows up to 200 cm in length. It blooms between April and August and is found in woods and stream banks, more usually in man-made habitats near water.  Poison-hemlock is highly poisonous enough to kill small animals, even with a few drops. In traditional folk medicine, poison hemlock is used as sedative and antispasmodic, but overdose uses affect movement center, causing paralysis and even death. In ancient Greece, this plant was used to poison condemned prisoner which most famous victim of this plant poisoning is the philosopher Socrates.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2015). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium_maculatum, Accessed date: 20.12.2015.

Anonymous 2 (2018). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=Conium+maculatum+, Accessed date: 08.03.2018.

Radulovıć NS,. Đorđevıć ND (2011). Steroids from poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L.):a GC–MS analysis. J. Serb. Chem. Soc. 76 (11) 1471–1483.

Menemen Y (2012). Conium L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 57.