Fly Poison
Amianthium muscitoxicum
This plant may be poisonous to both humans and animals. Please refer to the "Symptoms" section below for information regarding susceptiblity of animal species to poisoning.
Description: Fly poison is a perennial herb that grows from a bulb. The leaves are thin and long arising from the base of the plant. The flowers form an elongated cluster at the end of a leafless stem. The fruit is a spherical capsule that contains many shiny brown to black seeds. The bulbs of this plant were once mixed with honey for use as fly poison thus lending the plant one of its common names.
Toxic Part: The entire plant is considered toxic, especially the bulbs. The bulbs of stagger grass were once mixed with honey for use as fly poison thus lending the plant one of its common names.
Toxin: The toxins responsible for poisoning are the Veratrum-like alkaloids, amianthine and
jervine.
Symptoms: The symptoms of poisoning are said to be similar to those associated with Zigadenus intoxication. These symptoms include staggers, muscular cramps, and respiratory paralysis in cattle and sheep. Because A. muscaetoxicum has Veratrum-like alkaloids it could cause fetal malformations in sheep and cattle.
Treatment: There is no known treatment. Do not let animals access the plant for forage.