Oxypolis rigidior | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Apiales |
Family: | Apiaceae |
Genus: | Oxypolis |
Species: | O. rigidior
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Binomial name | |
Oxypolis rigidior (L.) Raf.
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Oxypolis rigidior, known as cowbane, common water dropwort, [1] stiff cowbane, [2] or pig-potato, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family native to eastern North America. It is a perennial wildflower found in wet habitats. [3] [4] [5] Oxypolis rigidior is poisonous to mammals.
Oxypolis rigidior is 2–6 foot tall perennial herb of eastern North America. Its leaves are compound, odd-pinnate with 7-11 leaflets, and have variable shape. Umbels of 3 mm white flowers appear August to October. Flat fruits with conspicuous "wings" appear October through November. [5] [3]
The variable leaf shape may make identification challenging. Water hemlock, a related very poisonous species, which sometimes even shares the common name "cowbane", is similar, as is the closely related Savanna cowbane ( Oxypolis ternata). [5] [3]
Two varieties have been described, O. rigidior var. rigidior and O. rigidior var. ambigua. [5]
Both roots and top parts are reported as poisonous to mammals. [6] [7]
Interestingly, however, they are also considered edible and safe by some. [8] [9] Thayer calls them Cherokee swamp potato in reference to their use in Cherokee cuisine and states that “the tubers can used as a potato-like vegetable…fantastic in any way you’d use a potato”. [9] However, he also states that the plant should be gathered with “great caution” due to its resemblance to another plant, water hemlock, which shares the name cowbane.