Date: August 11, 2011. Location: Rochester cemetery (map)
| Classification Hierarchy | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Subkingdom | Tracheophyta |
| Superdivision | Spermatophyta |
| Division | Magnoliophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Subclass | Rosidae |
| Order | Apiales |
| Family | Apiaceae |
| Genus | Oxypolis |
| Species | Oxypolis rigidior |
Date: August 11, 2011. Location: Rochester cemetery (map)
Scientific Name: Oxypolis rigidior ([GR] oxys=sharp, polios=white a reference to the white petals and the toothed involucels; rigidus [L] stiff)
Common Name: Cowbane
Origin: Native(L48)
Notes: Opinions differ about the toxicity of this plant. As a general principle, it's a good idea not to eat anything with "bane" as a part of it's common name. A closely related plant (Cicuta maculata) which is very poisonous, is also sometimes called Cowbane.
Additional references: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Flowers: August, a compuound umbel of small flowers each with 5 white petals, involucels present with pointed lobes.
Leaves: compound simple pinnate usually with 5 to 9 sessile linear leaflets, margins are usually entire but sometimes sparsely toothed.
Glossaries of botanical terms: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
