Difference between revisions of "Amianthium muscitoxicum"

From Coastal Plain Plants Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
m
(Ecology)
Line 37: Line 37:
 
<!--===Seed bank and germination===-->
 
<!--===Seed bank and germination===-->
 
<!--===Fire ecology===--> <!--Fire tolerance, fire dependence, adaptive fire responses-->
 
<!--===Fire ecology===--> <!--Fire tolerance, fire dependence, adaptive fire responses-->
<!--===Pollination===-->  
+
 
 +
===Pollination===
 +
The distance of pollinating neighbors has some influence on the production and weight of seeds. However, heterogeneity between plants accounted for a greater amount of variance between seed production and weight.<ref name="Redmond et al 1989">Redmond AM, Robbins LE, Travis J (1989) The effects of pollination distance on seed production in three populations of ''Amianthium muscaetoxicum'' (Liliaceae). Oecologia 79:260-264.</ref>  
  
 
===Use by animals=== <!--Herbivory, granivory, insect hosting, etc.-->
 
===Use by animals=== <!--Herbivory, granivory, insect hosting, etc.-->

Revision as of 11:54, 21 February 2018

Amianthium muscitoxicum
Amianthium muscitoxicum AFP.jpg
Photo by Atlas of Florida Plants Database
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Liliopsida - Moncots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Amianthium
Species: A. muscitoxicum
Binomial name
Amianthium muscitoxicum
(Walter) A. Gray
AMIA MUSC DIST.JPG
Natural range of Amianthium muscitoxicum from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common Name: fly-poison[1][2]

Taxonomic Notes

Synonyms: A. muscaetoxicum;[1] Chrosperma muscaetoxicum; Zigadenus muscitoxicus;[1][2]

Description

Amianthium muscitoxicum is a monoecious perennial forb/herb.[2] It has narrow elongated leaves and reaches lengths of 12-24 in (30-61 cm). Flowers are initially white, but turn a bronzy-green, and occur in dense showy racemes. All parts of the plant are poisonous, containing a very toxic alkaloid.[3]

Distribution

This species occurs from southern New York, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Oklahoma, southward to the Florida panhandle, Mississippi, and Arizona.[1]

Ecology

Habitat

A. muscitoxicum occurs from 5-1,600 m in elevation across a wide variety of mesic to dry forests, pine savannas, sandhills, and meadows.[1]

Phenology

In the Southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States, flowering occurs from May through July and fruiting from July through September.[1]

Pollination

The distance of pollinating neighbors has some influence on the production and weight of seeds. However, heterogeneity between plants accounted for a greater amount of variance between seed production and weight.[4]

Use by animals

Humans use it to kill flies by taking the pulp from crushed bulbs and mixing it with sugar.[3] Native Americans would also use A. muscitoxicum to kill crows and as a severe cure for the itch.[5]

Conservation and Management

Cultivation and restoration

Propagation can be performed by planting seeds when ripe in the spring or through rood divisions.[3]

Photo Gallery

References and notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Weakley AS (2015) Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Herbarium.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 USDA NRCS (2016) The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 21 February 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Plant database: Amianthium muscitoxicum. (21 February 2018) Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. URL: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=AMMU
  4. Redmond AM, Robbins LE, Travis J (1989) The effects of pollination distance on seed production in three populations of Amianthium muscaetoxicum (Liliaceae). Oecologia 79:260-264.
  5. Witthoft J (1947) Ethnology - An early Cherokee ethnobotanical note. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 37(3):73-75.