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Page 49
| and blood vessels and is usually fairly innocuous; but a combination of sunshine, damp leaves, and sap can cause skin rashes. Severe allergic reaction in sensitive individuals can occasionally be life threatening. Wear gloves when pruning rue, especially on sunny days. Eating it can be quite safe, and it is sometimes used to flavor Mediterranean salads. |
| The various spurges (Euphorbia spp.) found in gardens usually have corrosive sap and can be irritant. The leaves of caper spurge (Euphorbia lathyrus) were once used by European beggars to produce blistering and ulcers in order to win sympathy and alms. |
| Thornapple or jimson weed (Datura stramonium) are members of the Solanaceae family and are poisonous. Several of these herbs are native to North or South America. Thornapple, with its attractive white flowers, is a bitter narcotic and antispasmodic used by herbalists for asthma and pain relief. It is extremely toxic and should be handled with care. |
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