Indian pokeweed (Phytolacca acinosa)
Description
“Pet poisonous” – Toxic parts: roots, seeds, berries Phytolacca acinosa is a plant species of the family Phytolaccaceae . It is native to East Asia and is naturalized in Europe and North America as a result of old food crops. This species is distinguished from American grapes by the following characters: Phytolacca is a genus of perennial plants native to North America, South America, East Asia and New Zealand. Some members of the genus are known as pokeweeds or similar names such as pokebush, pokeberry, pokeroot or poke sallet.Other names for species of Phytolacca include inkberry and omb-. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ----- (phyton), meaning "plant," and the Latin word lacca, a red dye.Phytolaccatoxin and phytolaccigenin are present in many species which are poisonous to mammals if not cooked properly. However, the berries are eaten by birds, which are not affected by the toxin because the small seeds with very hard outer shells remain intact in the digestive system and are eliminated whole.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Caryophyllales
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Family: Phytolaccaceae
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Genus: Phytolacca
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