Poisonous plant cicuta growing near coast of a forest river. cover photo - 161493379

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Cicuta virosa, the cowbane or northern water hemlock, is a poisonous species of Cicuta. It is a perennial herbaceous plant which grows up to 1â€“2 m tall. The stems are smooth, branching, swollen at the base, purple-striped, and hollow except for partitions at the junction of the leaves and stem. In cross section the stems have one flat side and the other sides are rounded. The leaves are alternate, tripinnate, only coarsely toothed. The flowers are small, white and clustered in umbrella shaped inflorescences typical of the family. An oily, yellow liquid oozes from cuts to the stems and roots. This liquid has a rank smell resembling that of parsnips or carrots. The Greek philosopher Socrates drank a cup of some kind of hemlock infusion at his execution in 399 BC.

air aldae alternate background base belarus bottom branches branching bright carrots clustered coarsely coast collapse cowbane cross cuts dark day dramatic execution fantasy flat flow flowers foliage forest grass greek green growing grows herbaceous horror inflorescences infusion junction landscape left light liquid mysterious nature oily old other partitions philosopher plant poisonous purple reflection resembling river season section shaped shore side smooth socrates species stem stream striped swollen toothed travel tripinnate typical umbrella virosa visible wave weather yellow