- Fool's Parsley
Taxobox
name = Fool's Parsley
image_width = 240px
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo =Apiales
familia =Apiaceae
genus = "Aethusa"
genus_authority = L.
species = "A. cynapium"
binomial = "Aethusa cynapium"
binomial_authority = L.The Fool's Parsley ("Aethusa cynapium") or Fool's Cicely or Poison Parsley is an annual (rarely biennial)
herb in the plant familyApiaceae , native toEurope , westernAsia and northwestAfrica . It is the only member of the genus "Aethusa".It has a fusiform root and a smooth hollow branched stem growing to about 80 cm high, with much divided (ternately pinnate) smooth leaves with an unpleasant smell, and small compound
umbel s of small irregular whiteflower s. It is related to Hemlock andWater-dropwort and like them ispoison ous, though less so than Hemlock. Poisoning from Fool's Parsley showed symptoms of heat in the mouth and throat and a post-mortem examination showed redness of the lining membrane of the gullet and windpipe and slight congestion of the duodenum and stomach. Since some toxins are destroyed by drying,hay containing the plant is not poisonous. Symptoms of poisoning are heat in themouth andthroat .It has been introduced into many other parts of the world and is a common weed in cultivated ground.
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