SAS Urban Survival Handbook (46 page)

GOURD FAMILY
Cucurbitaceae

Irritant poisons, causing burning pains in the throat and stomach, thirst, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and slight nervous symptoms.

3 ▶ White bryany
(Devil’s turnip)
Bryania alba
Native to a large area, from Europe to northern Iran, common in hedgerows. Climbing perennial with greenish-white flowers and red berries containing several flat seeds. Height: 1.8-3 m (6-10 ft).
Roots and berries are poisonous. It is estimated that 15 berries may kill a child.

CYCAD FAMILY
Cycadaceae

4 ▶ Cycad
(Sago palm/Japanese fern)
Cycas revoluta
Native to southern Japan and Ryukyu Islands, common in tropical gardens and as a houseplant. Evergreen palm-like tree. Starchlike edible sago extracted from trunk. Height: 1.5-3 m (5-10 ft).
Poisonous seeds.
Pith edible if washed.

YAM FAMILY
Dioscoreaceae

Irritant poisons, causing burning pains in the throat and stomach, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and shock.

5 ▶ White yam
Dioscorea rotundata
Native to Sierra Leone and the Congo, and a common food crop. Tuberous-rooted, sprawling and climbing, with somewhat heart-shaped leaves. Height: 60-150 cm (24-59 in).
Poisonous tubers, unless boiled or peeled.

6 ▶ Black bryony
Tamus communis
Native to south and west Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, Palestine and Syria, and common in hedgerows. Perennial climber with yellow-green flowers. Berries are bright-scarlet when ripe. Height: 2-4 m (7-13 ft).
All parts poisonous. Can be FATAL to children.

CUP FERN FAMILY
Dennstaedtiaceae

Irritant poisons, causing burning pains in the throat and stomach, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and shock.

7 ▶ Bracken
(Brake/Hog pasture bracken)
Pteridium aquilinum
Native to and widespread in many countries, except temperate South America and Arctic. Also an ornamental. Perennial with fern-like leaves. Height: 30-150 cm (12-59 in).
Leaves are poisonous. ‘Spores’ thought to be carcinogenic.
Young ‘fiddleheads’ may be boiled and eaten.

HEATH FAMILY
Ericaceae

Irritant poisons, causing burning pains in the throat and stomach, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and shock.

8 ▶ Calico bush
(Mountain laurel/Ivybush/ Spoonwood)
Kalmia latifolia
Native to the eastern US and an extremely common ornamental. Evergreen shrub with glossy, lance-shaped, midto dark-green leaves and bright-pink flowers. Height: 1.5-2.1 m (5-7 ft).
Poisonous leaves and sap.

9 ▶ Common rhododendron
(Pontic rhododendron)
Rhododendron ponticum
Native to Portugal, Spain, Anatolia and the Lebanon, and naturalized in Britain. Evergreen shrub with purple brownspotted flowers. Height: 3-4.5 m (10-15 ft).
Poisonous flowers, leaves and sap.

SPURGE FAMILY
Euphorbiaceae

Irritant poisons inducing abdominal pains, vomiting, nerve symptoms such as dilated pupils, headaches and, occasionally, convulsions. Sap causes blisters. Some plants may cause DEATH.

1▶ Jacob’s coat
(Copper leaf/Fire dragon)
Acalypha wilkesiana
Native to Pacific Islands, a common ornamental in warm regions and a houseplant in temperate zones. Evergreen shrub with colourful elephant-ear-like leaves in many colours. Height: 1.5-3.6 m (5-12 ft).
All parts poisonous.
Other acalypha species also poisonous.

2 ▶ Croton
(Variegated laurel)
Codiaeum variegatum pictum
Native to Pacific Islands and the Malay Peninsula. Also an ornamental in warm regions and a houseplant in temperate zones. Evergreen shrub with brightly-coloured leaves. Height: 1.2-2.1 m (4-7 ft).
All parts poisonous. Purgative action.
Other codiaeum species also poisonous.

3 ▶ Sun spurge
Euphorbia helioscopia
Native to Europe, Mediterranean region and central Asia. Usually seen in cultivated land. Annual with finely-toothed oval leaves and yellowish bracts. Height: 20-50 cm (8-20 in).
All parts are poisonous. Produces intense irritation of mouth and lips. Violent purgative action. Can be FATAL.

4 ▶ Poinsettia
(Christmas star/Painted leaf/ Mexican flameleaf)
Euphorbia pulcherrima
Native to Central America and tropical Mexico, and a common ornamental and house-plant. Evergreen shrub with colourful bracts. Height: 1.2-2.4 m (4-8 ft).
All parts are poisonous. Sap causes skin irritation.
Many other euphorbia species are also poisonous. All should be treated with respect.

5 ▶ Manchineal tree
Hippomane mancinella
Native to Florida, West Indies and tropical South America. Tropical tree with egg-shaped sawedged leaves and fleshy, sweet-smelling, yellowish-green flowers. Height: 3-6 m (10-20 ft).
All parts are poisonous.
It is said that not even grass will grow underneath it!

6 ▶ Coral plant
(Physic nut)
Jatropha multifida
Native to tropical America and a common house-plant. Evergreen tree/shrub with large lobed leaves and scarlet flowers. Height: 3.6-6 m (12-20 ft).
All parts are poisonous.

7 ▶ Castor oil plant
(Palma christi/Wonder tree)
Ricinus communis
Native to tropical Africa, an ornamental and a houseplant. Annual with large deeply-lobed leaves and petalless, insignificant, green flowers, followed by large, round, spiny seedpods. Height: 1.5-3.6 m (5-12 ft).
Highly toxic. Up to four seeds may induce severe poisoning in an adult. Eight may be FATAL!

BEECH FAMILY
Fagaceae

Irritant poisons, causing acute abdominal pain and often delirium.

8 ▶ Copper beech
Fagus sylvaticus
‘Purpurea’ Native to Europe. Large deciduous tree with purple leaves, inconspicuous green flowers and triangular brown nuts in autumn. Height: 9-12 m (30-39 ft).
Poisonous nuts.

FOOD PLANTS

Many of the plants that form part of our regular diet are potentially toxic, especially when eaten raw. The potato and tomato are both members of the nightshade family (
Solanaceae
), which produces many extremely poisonous plants. Potato tubers become green and highly toxic when sufficiently exposed to light—killing many people (especially children) each year. The fruits of tomato plants are not harmful when ripe, but the stems and leaves ore poisonous. Rhubarb leaves are extremely poisonous, but the stems are quite safe to eat after they have been cooked.

1
▶
White oak
Quercus alba
Native to southeast Canada and the eastern US, and an ornamental. Large deciduous tree with lobed dark-glossygreen leaves. Height: 18-25 m (59-82 ft).
Poisonous acorns and leaves.

FLACOURTIA FAMILY
Flacourtiaceae

Irritant poisons, causing burning pains in the throat and stomach, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and shock.

2 ▶ Pangi
(Kapayang)
Pangium edule
Native to the Malay Peninsula. Quick-growing, spreading tropical tree, with large heart-shaped leaves and reddish-brown edible fruits. Height: 6-7.5 m (20-25 ft).
Poisonous seeds,
edible after cooking.

FUMITORY FAMILY
Fumariaceae

Irritant poisons, causing burning pains in the throat and stomach, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and shock.

3 ▶ Bleeding heart
Dicentra spectabilis
Native to Japan and a common ornamental. Herbaceous perennial with fern-like grey-green leaves and rose-red heart-shaped flowers. Height: 45-75 cm (18-30 in).
All parts are poisonous.

HORSE CHESTNUT FAMILY

Hippocastanaceae

Irritant poisons, causing burning pains in the throat and stomach, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and shock.

4 ▶ Horse chestnut
(European horse chestnut)
Aesculus hippocastanum
Native to the Balkans and an ornamental. Large deciduous tree with leaves formed of several leaflets. White redblotched flowers and prickly green fruits containing mahogany-brown ‘conkers’ (seeds). Height: 7.5-9 m (25-30 ft).
All parts are poisonous.
Not to be confused with sweet chestnuts, which are edible.

IRIS FAMILY
Iridaceae

Irritant poisons, causing gastroenteritis.

5 ▶ Yellow Iris
(Yellow flag/Water flag)
Iris pseudacorus
Native to Europe and Asia and a common ornamental. Deciduous perennial with sword-like leaves and yellow flowers. The fruit capsules contain bright orange or scarlet seeds. Height: 75-90 cm (30-35 in).
All parts are poisonous.
Sweet chestnut (
I. foetidissima
) is also poisonous.

LAUREL FAMILY
Lauraceae

Poisons causing numbness, tingling in the mouth, abdominal pains, vertigo, vomiting and purging and affecting the heart. Can cause paralysis.