Botanical.com - A Modern Herbal, by Mrs. M. Grieve

Lovage, Water

POISON!

Botanical: Cenanthe fistulosa (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Umbelliferae


Water Lovage is closely allied to Hemlock Water Dropwort (Cenanthe crocata, Linn.) and is by no means to be regarded as an edible plant. All the species of Water Dropwort are regarded as poisonous, and the Hemlock Water Dropwort should not be allowed to grow in places where cattle are kept, as instances are numerous in which cows have been poisoned by eating the roots, and it is equally poisonous to horses.

The genus Cenanthe is scattered throughout the whole of the Northern Hemisphere, but are rare in America; some of them are to be met with in Britain, and certain of them are very poisonous. C. crocata has been used with beneficial effect in certain skin-diseases; also in the form of poultices to ulcers, etc., as well as for the purpose of poisoning rats and moles.

See:
DROPWORT, HEMLOCK WATER
DROPWORT, WATER

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Bear in mind "A Modern Herbal" was written with the conventional wisdom of the early 1900's. This should be taken into account as some of the information may now be considered inaccurate, or not in accordance with modern medicine.

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