onlyechoesrespond:♚ Plants in Mythology → Aconite/Aconitum (also known as the queen of poisons, monk
onlyechoesrespond:♚ Plants in Mythology → Aconite/Aconitum (also known as the queen of poisons, monkshood, wolfsbane) Aconite is an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the buttercup family that is chiefly native to the mountainous parts of the northern hemisphere, growing in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows. There are over 250 individual species of aconite and most species are extremely poisonous and must be dealt with carefully. Prolonged exposure or ingestion can lead to nausea, vomiting, and, in most causes, seizures and cardiac arrest. It is commonly fatal, taking less than 6 hours to kill in high enough doses. Greek myth tells that aconite grew on the hill of Aconitus where Hercules fought with Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the entrance to Hades, and from the dog’s mouths fell foam and saliva onto the aconite, giving the plant it’s deadly poison. Hecate, a Greek goddess of magic and spells, poisoned her father with aconite, and Medea is said to have tried to murder Theseus with it. Aconite has also been called the love poison and according to legend, women who were fed aconite daily from infancy could poison others through sexual contact. Aconite also features heavily in werewolf mythology and has long been ascribed with supernatural powers in relation to werewolves and other lycanthropes, used to either repel them or in some way induce their lycanthropic condition. Read More -- source link
#neurotoxin#aconitum#botany#poison plants#lethal plant