- Actaea spicata
Taxobox
name = "Actaea spicata"
image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Actaea spicata" fruit
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Ranunculales
familia =Ranunculaceae
genus = "Actaea "
species = "A. spicata"
binomial = "Actaea spicata"
binomial_authority = L."Actaea spicata" (Baneberry, Eurasian Baneberry, or Herb Christopher) is a species of
flowering plant in the genus "Actaea ", native toEurope and westernAsia .It is a
herbaceous perennial plant growing 30-60 cm tall. It has toothed, bipinnate compound leaves up to 40 cm long and 30 cm broad. Theflower s are white, with 4-6 petaloid sepals, and are produced in an erectraceme about 10 cm long. Thefruit is an oval glossy blackberry , 10-11 mm long and 8 mm diameter.There are two varieties:
*"Actaea spicata" var. "spicata". Europe, northwestern Asia; at 0-1900 m altitude.
*"Actaea spicata" var. "acuminata" (syn. "A. acuminata"). Southwestern Asia, Himalaya, at 2500-3700 m altitude.Cultivation and uses
It is an extremely
poison ous plant. Despite this, it was used in the past inherbal medicine s. It is also grown as anornamental plant in gardens.The berries contain cardiogenic toxins which can have an immediate sedative affect on human cardiac muscle tissue, and are the most poisonous part of the plant. Ingestion of the berries can lead to cardiac arrest and death. The berries are harmless to birds, the plants' primary seed dispersers.
References
* [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Actaea&SPECIES_XREF=spicata&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: "Actaea spicata"]
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=110&taxon_id=242420160 Nepal Checklist: "Actaea spicata" var. "acuminata"]
* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?1385 Germplasm Resources Information Network: "Actaea spicata"]
* [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Actaea+spicata Plants for a Future: "Actaea spicata"]
*Edible and Medicinal plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, ISBN 0-87842-359-1
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