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Poisonous Plant - American Liverwort
Hepatica americana, or Ranunculaceae
Identification: One of the first blossoms of spring is a low-lying plant with liver-shaped leaves. Flowers with six to eight petals might be blue or white. The compound leaf has three lobes. Petioles and stems have silky white hairs covering them and are delicate. Plants in small colonies can reach a height of 6".
Habitat: Usually found east of the Sharp-leaved Hepatica in hardwood forests, close to tree bases. (Acutiloba hepatica). Prairie to the Gulf, north to Ontario, and east to the East Coast.
High doses of fresh plant are harmful. Ranunculin and its derivatives are toxic. The plant's harmful chemical is denatured by drying or boiling it.
Symptoms: Prolonged skin contact with fresh plants or their fluids might result in blisters that are difficult to cure and dermatitis. Internally, protoanemonin can irritate the urinary and digestive tracts and is caustic to mucosal membranes. Colic and diarrhea are symptoms.
First Aid: In professional medical treatment, the physician may irrigate with diluted anti-infective potassium permanganate and then apply emollients. Gentle cool-water irrigation is the first aid for external contact and blistering.
Rehydration, gastrointestinal lavage, and the administration of activated charcoal may be necessary in cases of ingestion.
Hepatica americana, or Ranunculaceae
Identification: One of the first blossoms of spring is a low-lying plant with liver-shaped leaves. Flowers with six to eight petals might be blue or white. The compound leaf has three lobes. Petioles and stems have silky white hairs covering them and are delicate. Plants in small colonies can reach a height of 6".
Habitat: Usually found east of the Sharp-leaved Hepatica in hardwood forests, close to tree bases. (Acutiloba hepatica). Prairie to the Gulf, north to Ontario, and east to the East Coast.
High doses of fresh plant are harmful. Ranunculin and its derivatives are toxic. The plant's harmful chemical is denatured by drying or boiling it.
Symptoms: Prolonged skin contact with fresh plants or their fluids might result in blisters that are difficult to cure and dermatitis. Internally, protoanemonin can irritate the urinary and digestive tracts and is caustic to mucosal membranes. Colic and diarrhea are symptoms.
First Aid: In professional medical treatment, the physician may irrigate with diluted anti-infective potassium permanganate and then apply emollients. Gentle cool-water irrigation is the first aid for external contact and blistering.
Rehydration, gastrointestinal lavage, and the administration of activated charcoal may be necessary in cases of ingestion.
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