Struik Pocket Guides for Southern Africa - Poisonous Plants

Authors: Eugene Moll and Glen Moll

Illustrations: Rose Crass Strebel

Number of pages: 64

Year published: 1989

Edition: 1st

Published by: Struik Publishers

Softcover

ISBN: 0 86977 854 4

Web site: Struik Nature

The Wildebeest's Review of Poisonous Plants

I find it ironic that a plant which is often used as a Christmas decoration graces the cover of a book on poisonous plants. I suppose it’s OK as long as you don’t eat it, poke it in your eye or get its milky latex all over yourself.

This is an interesting little book. After a brief introduction it gets right into the species notes. You be alarmed to recognise a number of the plants which you have been growing proudly, not realising what it could do to you, your kids or your pets.

The write-ups are accompanied by clear illustrations and small distribution maps. The text is informative and highlights what part of the plant is toxic. The notes include information covering the threat to livestock.

The last section of the book was, for me, the most interesting. It covers the effects of the poisons on different organs and systems in the human body. This section of the book should have been up front along with a message saying something to the effect of “if you read just one section of this book make it this one.” Rather be familiar with the symptoms and dangers in advance.

Some of the subjects in this publication

Fly Agaric - Page: 5
Panther Agaric - Page: 5
Flame Lily - Page: 6
Superb Lily - Page: 6
Climbing Lily - Page: 7
Slangkop - Page: 8
Tall White Squill - Page: 8
Urginea burkei - Page: 8
Poison Snake Head - Page: 8
Urginea pusilla - Page: 8
Ornithogalum virens - Page: 9
Star of Bethlehem - Page: 9
Pregnant Onion - Page: 9
Chinkerinchee - Page: 9
Ornithogalum lacteum - Page: 9
Catherine Wheel - Page: 10
April Fool - Page: 10
Blood Lily - Page: 10
Haemanthus amarylloides - Page: 10
Common Cape Tulip - Page: 11
Blue Tulp - Page: 11
Moraea breyniana - Page: 11
Moraea polyanthos - Page: 11
Moraea glaua - Page: 11
Moraea pallida - Page: 11
Tree Nettle - Page: 12
Poison Bush - Page: 13
Phytolacca dodecandra - Page: 14
Belhambra - Page: 14
Forest Inkberry - Page: 14
Phytolacca americana - Page: 14
Phytolacca heptandra - Page: 14
Common Butterbush - Page: 15
Pig s Ears - Page: 15
Cotyledon reticulata - Page: 15
Yellow Butterbush - Page: 15
Cassia didymobotyra - Page: 16
Round-pod Rattlebush - Page: 17
Crotalaria burkeana - Page: 17
Crotalaria dura - Page: 17
Crotalaria juncea - Page: 17
Crotalaria spartioides - Page: 17
Cork Bush - Page: 18
Lucky Bean Creeper - Page: 19
Common Coral Tree - Page: 20
Coast Coral Tree - Page: 20
Persian Lilac - Page: 21
Poison Leaf - Page: 22
Hyaena-poison - Page: 23
Tamboti - Page: 24
Lebombo Ironwood - Page: 24
Castor Oil Bush - Page: 25
Naboom Euphorbia - Page: 26
Yellow Milk-bush - Page: 26
Rubber-hedge Euphorbia - Page: 26
Poisettia - Page: 26
Dead Man s Tree - Page: 28
Pepper Tree - Page: 29
Brazilian Pepper Tree (see 12171) - Page: 29
Greater Turkeybush - Page: 30
Common Turkey Bush - Page: 30
Curry Bush - Page: 31
Small St. John s Wort - Page: 31
Blisterbush - Page: 32
Round-leaved Poison-bush - Page: 33
Common Poison-bush - Page: 33
Dune Poison-bush - Page: 33
Quinine Tree - Page: 34
Oleander - Page: 35
Poisonrope - Page: 36
Yellow Oleander - Page: 37
Wild Cotton - Page: 38
Common Lantana - Page: 39
Solanum incanum - Page: 40
Common Thorn Apple - Page: 41
Tobacco Tree - Page: 42
Tabacco - Page: 42
Digitalis lanata - Page: 43
Digitalis purpurea - Page: 43
Cucumis africanus - Page: 44
Momordica clematidea - Page: 44
Geigeria aspera - Page: 45
Vermeerbos - Page: 45
Poison Ragwort - Page: 46
Senecio ilicifolius - Page: 46
Senecio retrorsus - Page: 46
Senecio latifolius - Page: 46
Senecio sceleratus - Page: 46
Mauve Castalis - Page: 47
Chrysocoma tenuifolia - Page: 48

---

Top