White Snakeroot(Eupatorium rugosum Houtt.)

Family: Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ay) From the Latin aster, a star, in reference to the shape of the aster (daisy) family flowers. Formerly Compositae.

Genus: Eupatorium (yoo-puh-TOR-ee-um) From the Greek name Mithridates VI Eupator (132 – 63 B.C.), King of Pontus about 115BC, enemy of Rome in Asia Minor, who is said to have discovered an antidote to a commonly used poison in one of the species.

Species: rugosum (roo-GO-sum) Means wrinkled.

White Snakeroot

The white snakeroot is a member of the composite family. This plant commonly grows to heights more than 1m on erect, herbaceous, single or multiple stems with many hairs. It is native to Canada and can be found east of post 36 as the trail leaves the large clearing.

It is closely related to boneset.

White Snakeroot

The leaves are opposite, with petioles around 4cm long. They are heart-shaped near the petiole with fuzzy hairs (especially in groove).

The toothed leaves are deep greenish to purple above and light green below and are approximately 12cm long and 8cm wide with some hairs above and below, mostly on veins.

White Snakeroot

The terminal flat inflorescence is comprised of a number of heads, each with 15+ small white flowers. The corollas are white, 5-lobed, with white filaments and white to pale yellowish anthers.

White Snakeroot

In the fall, each dry fruit, containing the seeds, bears a number of white hairs.

White Snakeroot

This plant is very toxic if eaten in quantity as it contains barium sulphate. Dairy farmers are careful to eradicate this plant as cows which graze on it produce poisonous milk. A number of pioneers died from snakeroot poisoning in the milk before they realized the cause.

• Despite its toxic nature, 1st Nations people used a tea made from the roots to help diarrhea, painful urination, fevers, and kidney stones. They also burned the plant and used the smoke to revive unconscious people.

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