Scientific Name
Sesbania punicea (Daubentonia punicea)
Common Name
Rattlebox, purple sesbane, false poinciana

HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN!

Characteristics

Family
Fabaceae
Plant Description
Deciduous shrub or small tree; leaves alternate, pinnately divided with 6-20 pairs of leaflets with smooth margins; flowers pea-like, red-orange or reddish purple, in drooping clusters; fruit a 4-winged pod with slight constrictions and partitions between the seeds.
Origin
South America.
Distribution
Coastal Plain.
Where Found
Weedy in disturbed areas, roadsides, ditches; landscape as ornamental, naturalized in some areas of the Coastal Plain.
Mode
Ingestion.
Poisonous Part
Seeds.
Symptoms
Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness, depression, respiratory failure; may be fatal.
Toxic Principle
Saponic glycosides.
Severity
HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN!

"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.

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