Scientific Name
Pastinaca sativa
Common Name
Wild parsnip

SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES.

Characteristics

Family
Apiaceae
Plant Description
Coarse herb with hollow, ribbed stems; leaves alternate, clasping, 1-pinnately divided and the leaflets toothed or lobed; flowers small in umbrella-shaped clusters, each with 5 yellow petals; fruit elongated, dry.
Origin
Europe.
Distribution
Throughout.
Where Found
Weedy in disturbed areas along roadsides and in waste places; cultivated and naturalized.
Mode
Dermatitis, photodermatitis.
Poisonous Part
All parts.
Symptoms
Skin irritation and rash after contact with cell sap and in the light.
Edibility
EDIBLE PARTS: The fleshy taproot from first-year plants is edible, either raw or as a cooked vegetable. SOURCE: Peterson, L. 1978. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 330 pp.
Toxic Principle
Furanocoumarin.
Severity
SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES.

"Poisonous Plants of North Carolina," Dr. Alice B. Russell, Department of Horticultural Science; Dr. James W. Hardin, Botany; Dr. Larry Grand, Plant Pathology; and Dr. Angela Fraser, Family and Consumer Sciences; North Carolina State University. All Pictures Copyright @1997Alice B. Russell, James W. Hardin, Larry Grand. Computer programming, Miguel A. Buendia; graphics, Brad Capel.

Disclaimer: The list of poisonous plants on this web site does not necessarily include every poisonous plant that is known, or that might be found in an urban landscape or home. North Carolina State University does not advise eating any of the plants included in this web site. The information concerning edibility is taken from the literature, and the degree of reliability is unknown. We discourage the use of any of these plants for self medication. In cases of accidental exposure or ingestion, contact the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

Previous Species, Home, Next Species