Wild ginger
General poisoning notes:
Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a native wildflower growing in rich woods in eastern Canada. This plant can cause dermatitis in some humans (Mitchell and Rook 1979).
Description:
Rhizomes horizontal, shallow, internodes 1.0-3.5 cm. Leaves: petiole 6-20 cm, crisped-hirsute. Leaf blade not variegate, cordate-reniform to reniform, 4-8(-20) × 8-14(-21.5) cm, apex rounded or obtuse; surfaces abaxially appressed-hirsute, usually sparsely so, adaxially appressed-hirsute, at least along main veins, marginal hairs perpendicular to margin or curved toward apex. Flowers erect or ascending; peduncle 1.5-3 cm; false calyx tube cylindric, externally tan or purplish, hirsute (often densely), internally white or pale green, occasionally mottled with purple, with white or purple hairs; distal portion of sepal spreading or reflexed at anthesis, 6-24 mm, apex apiculate to acuminate or filiform-attenuate, abaxially green or purple, hirsute, adaxially purple, puberulent with crisped purple or pale hairs; pollen sacs 1-1.5 mm, sterile tip of connective on inner stamens purple, 0.5-1 mm, shorter than or about as long as pollen sacs. 2 n = 26.
Asarum canadense L.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Asarum canadense L.
Vernacular name(s): wild ginger
Scientific family name: Aristolochiaceae
Vernacular family name: birthwort
Geographic Information
New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba.
Toxic parts:
Leaves.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
