Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-11-14
POISONOUS PLANTS.
Some Of The Worst Kind Thrive in
New Mexico.
EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN.

ing have been reported to the expert
ment station, but very little accurate
information as to the causes producing
the losses has been obtained.
Several plants which were supposed
to be responsible in the different cases
have beer received and identified, but
in no ease was there absolute certain
ty that they were the cause of the
trouble, and in all cases. except one.
the plants were her reported for the
first time as being poisonous. In the
particular case not included in the
above statement, it was impossible to
identify the plant from the material
furnished, nor were we able to procure
material which could be identified.
Reports of the loss of sheep have
been received from Grant, Socorro,
and San Juan counties and of cattle
from Eddy county. No doubt other
parts of the territory suffer from sim
liar losses, but we have not received
any information concerning them.
In order that stockmen may know
something of the commoner poisonous
plants of the ranges, the following list
of the most important of those which
are known to be seriously dangerous
and which occur in our territory is APP
pended.
Larkspurs. (Delphinium spp.) These
plants, which closely resemble the
common garden larkspur, are usually
to be found upon the higher mountains,
generally above 5000 feet, and from
that on up to 1000 feet above sea
level. The commonest species I'd.
scopulorum) grows four or five feet
tall and has indigo-blue flowers; it oc-
ours on the open hillsides and along
streams among the heavy coniferous
timber. One or two smaller species
grow rather sparingly on the dry,
rocky foothills and mesas at eleva-
lions of from 5000 to 5000 feet. Cat
tie are most apt to be affected by these
plants, though sheep which are being
held in the mountains in the (early)
part of the seaso may suffer. d.
Lupines. (Lupinus spp.) Several
specie of the blue Pea occur in New
Mexico which are freely eaten by stock
and seem to beparticularly relished by
horses. Under certain conditions, not
well understood, these plants a a
violent poisoning effect upon sheep.
The disease, which is we'll known, pro-
duces acute spasmodic commissions and
usually ends the life of the animal In
a relatively short time. The plants
are commonly found associated with
the Larkspurs and may be recognized
by their bright blue pea-shaped flow
ers. Information as to the damages
they do in this territory is particularly
desirable.
Loco Weeds. (Astragalus spp. and
Aragalus spp.) These plants are too
well known to need more than be men
toned; not so the damage they do.
Astragalus mollissimus is probably the
commonest species on our ranges and
is especially injurious to horses and
sheep. 1t usually occurs in the open
country instead of in the timbered re-
gions of the higher mountains, though
it may occur as high as 1000 feet
above sea level. The loco weeds may
be confused with the Lupines, but the
separation is not difficult if one but
III thC iNofSo A. III
pine leaf is composed of several
leaflets which start from a common
point on the petiole or leaf stem, while
the leaflets of the loco weeds are scat
/, tered along the petiole. The two plants
are alike in that the diseases they pro-
luce may be either acute or become
chronic.
Western Water Hemlock. (Cicuta
~occidentalis,) This plant (known also
by the name of Cowbane) is a large,
hollow-stemmed weed with white flow
-ers, resembling the wild parsnip some
what; it grows along the banks of
streams in the mountains of the terri
tory. 1t is not very abundant, but it is
especially poisonous, the root in par
ticular being dangerous. Cattle and
sheep are most apt to be affected.
Sleepy Grass. (Stipa Vaseyana.) A
tall, coarse grass which grows in
damp, open draws" in the higher
mountains. 1t is sometimes five feet
high, with long, ~fiexuous, green leaves,
furnishing abundance of green fodder
before the other grasses begin to grow.
Animals which are not acquainted with
it eat it freely, and if allowed to do so,
will become strongly narcotized; a
condition from which they possibly
may not recover. Animals that have
nee eaten freely of it and recovered,
rarely touch it again, and stock run
ming on a range where it is abundant
soo learn 10 avoid it.
Ergot. (Claviceps purpurea.) This
is a common black fungus, that grows
on a NUMBER of the grasses Of the ter
ritory and probably does considerable
damage in poisoning stock. The fun
, gus appears as small, black grains on
the heads of the grasses and may be