poison hemlock

n. A highly poisonous plant (Conium maculatum) in the parsley family, native to Eurasia and Africa and widely naturalized in North America, having a stout stem, bipinnately compound leaves, and compound umbels of small white flowers.

poison hemlock

n (Plants) the US name for hemlock¹

hem•lock

(ˈhɛmˌlɒk)

n. 1. a poisonous plant, Conium maculatum, of the parsley family, having finely divided leaves and umbels of small white flowers. 2. a poisonous drink made from this plant. 3. any of various related plants, esp. of the genus Cicuta, as the water hemlock. 4. Also called hem′lock spruce′. any of several tall coniferous trees of the genus Tsuga, of the pine family, having short, blunt needles and small cones. 5. the soft, light wood of a hemlock tree, used in making paper and in construction. [before 900; Middle English hemlok, humlok, Old English hymlic, hemlic; perhaps akin to Old English hymele hop plant]

Thesaurus

Noun

poison hemlock - large branching biennial herb native to Eurasia and Africa and adventive in North America having large fernlike leaves and white flowers; usually found in damp habitats; all parts extremely poisonousCalifornia fern, Conium maculatum, Nebraska fern, poison parsley, winter fern, hemlockConium, genus Conium - small genus of highly toxic biennials: hemlockpoisonous plant - a plant that when touched or ingested in sufficient quantity can be harmful or fatal to an organism

poison hemlock

poison hemlock,

lethally poisonous herbaceous plant (Conium maculatum) of the family Umbelliferae (parsleyparsley,
Mediterranean aromatic herb (Petroselinum crispum or Apium petroselinum) of the carrot family, cultivated since the days of the Romans for its foliage, used in cookery as a seasoning and garnish.
..... Click the link for more information. family). It has rank, finely divided foliage, flat-topped clusters of small white flowers, and a hollow, purple-mottled stem. Although native to the Old World, it is now naturalized and common in parts of the United States. The poisonous principle (the alkaloid coniine) causes paralysis, convulsions, and eventual death. Poison hemlock was used in ancient Greece in executions; a famous example was the philosopher Socrates. The related water hemlock (any species of Cicuta) is similar in appearance and as poisonous. C. maculata, called also musquash-root, spotted cowbane, and beaver poison, is the common species of E North America. The evergreen trees called hemlockhemlock,
any tree of the genus Tsuga, coniferous evergreens of the family Pinaceae (pine family) native to North America and Asia. The common hemlock of E North America is the eastern hemlock, T.
..... Click the link for more information. are unrelated. Poison hemlock is classified in the division MagnoliophytaMagnoliophyta
, division of the plant kingdom consisting of those organisms commonly called the flowering plants, or angiosperms. The angiosperms have leaves, stems, and roots, and vascular, or conducting, tissue (xylem and phloem).
..... Click the link for more information. , class Magnoliopsida, order Apiales, family Umbelliferae.

poison hemlock

Poison Hemlock and Water Hemlock- one of the most poisonous plants, grows in moist areas near water, streams, ditches, swamps. White flower clusters in umbrella shape. Stems are smooth (no hair) and have purple splotches, sometimes covered with a white powder that rubs off easily. The leaves are sometimes mistaken for parsley. Smells bad and can grow up to 10 feet high.

poison hemlock

[′pȯiz·ən ′hem‚läk] (botany) Conium maculatum. A branching biennial poisonous herb that contains a volatile alkaloid, coniine, in its fruits and leaves.

poison hemlock

noun

Synonyms for poison hemlock

noun large branching biennial herb native to Eurasia and Africa and adventive in North America having large fernlike leaves and white flowers

Synonyms

California fern
Conium maculatum
Nebraska fern
poison parsley
winter fern
hemlock

Related Words

Conium
genus Conium
poisonous plant