Cicuta

Water hemlock ( Cicuta virosa )

The water hemlocks ( Cicuta ) are a genus of flowering plants of the Umbelliferae family. The only European representative of how all kinds highly toxic water hemlock ( Cicuta virosa ).

Features

The representatives are perennial, hairless marsh and aquatic plants. The leaves are pinnate two to three times. The flowers are in compound umbels. A sleeve is missing or consists of a few leaves, the Hüllchen is three to achtblättrig. The flowers are hermaphrodite in part, sometimes of a male. The Kelchsaum has five distinct teeth broadly triangular. The petals are pure white or reddish. Her top is incised and has a narrow, is proposed lobules. The ovary is glabrous.

The fruit is nearly compressed spherical and slightly to the side. She has wide, flat and dull main ribs. The oil welts are individually among the little valley, at the joint surface, there are two. The fruit holder are free and in two parts.

All species contain Cicutoxin and therefore are very toxic to humans.

Dissemination

The representatives are found in the northern temperate zones and grow as a marsh and aquatic plants.

System

The genus Cicuta is placed in the subfamily Apioideae within the Apiaceae family. The information on the style number varies between three and eight.

The only European species:

• Water hemlock ( Cicuta virosa L.)

The genus name is derived from the ancient name of the Cicuta spotted hemlock ( Conium maculatum ).

Documents

• Siegmund Seybold (ed.): Schmeil Fitschen - interactive ( CD -Rom ), Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2001/2002, ISBN 3-494-01327-6