Conium maculatum (L) Hemlock
NOMENCLATURE
Conium : from Greek _________ konos: a cone on top, ref to shape
of umbels Or konas to whorl about, because it causes vertigo& death.
maculatum : spotted, speckled.
Hemlock : fràm Anglo Saxon, hem : border, shore & leac: leek:
a plant. Or from Anglo Saxon, healm : straw.
PREVIOUS NAMES : Cicuta prevalas (Romans)
OTHER NAMES : dried stems are kecksies. Woomlicks, drunk in Rome, herb Bennet, spotted
corobane, musquash root, beaver poison, poison parsley, spotted hemlock, kex, Badman’s oatmeal,
(Yks, Dur, N’ thumb) Bunk, (Norf) Break-your-mother’s-heart, hever, (Dor) Caise, (Yks)
Cartwheel, devil’s flower, gipsy flower, curtains, hare’s parsley, kexies, lace flower, lady’s lace,
lady’s needlework, nosebleed, pickpocket, scably hands, stink flower, (Som) Devil’s blossom,
honiton lace, kakezie, (Dev). Kelk, (Wilts, Suss, Kent, Surr, Yks, Dur, N’thum, N Eng).
Kesh, (Lancs, Yks, Lakes, N Eng). Kewse, (Lincs, Lancs, Yks). Koushë, koushle, (Lincs).
Humly, (Roxb). Hech-how, (Scot)
BSBI Picture Link to Conium maculatum
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE: erect branched foetid biennial. Hs. STATUS: extremely poisonous, purple flexs on stem
a warning. When dried the plant is safe. AROMA: mice, wet rats, cats pass, nauseating.
ROOTS: resembles small parsnip.STEMS: hollow furrowed above, striate below,
smooth, purple spotted, glaucous. HEIGHT: 3M
UMBELS: 2-5 cm. Compound. Rays 10-2O, subequal, scabrid 1-3.5 cm. Peduncle
= or > than rays. Terminal hermaphrodite. Lateral male & hermphrdt.
LEAVES : basal 2-4 pinnate, triangular in outline, soft, 30cm, petioles short, entirely sheathing
base. Upper similar, smaller, petiole long, shortly sheathing base. Segments 1-2 cm, oblong
lancolate to deltate, coarsely and deeply serrate Cartilaginous apex.
BRACTS: bracts 5-6, 2-5mm narrowly triangular to lanceolate, deflexed, wide scarious margin
3-6 reflexed bracteoles, similar but smaller on outside of partial umbels Connate at base.
FLOWERS: has ‘Waxy bloom'. White, 5 even petals with short inflexed tips Sepals absent
Styles form stylopodium Ovary 2 celled each has one ovule short styles Pollination
by Diptera, Coleoptera Fl 6-7.
FRUIT: A 2-3 5 mm, suborbicular, Mericarps with prominent ridges, usually undulate, crenate.
Commisure narrow. Carpophore present Vittae several, slender. Pedicels 1-8mm. Styles,
horizontal or recurved longer than stylopodium. Stigma a small knob. Weight of half fruit :
0.0005 gm. Copious endosperm. 2n=22.
HABITAT: damp places, open woods, near water, roadsides, rubbish
tips, canals, sea walls. Heavy calcerous soil.
DISTRIBUTION: native. Throughout British Is. less in N.. Asia. Europe. Macronesia.
Introduced to S. America, New Zealand, Mexico, W. Indes.
BSBI Distribution Map for Conium maculatum (UK)
GARDEN USES: Damp rich soil in sun/part shade.
POISONING PRINCIPLES
Violent emetic, convulsive, causing paralysis of central and peripheral nervous system. Death by
respiratory failure. Symptoms are retching, abdominal pains, inabilty to move, swallow or speak;
Heart is not affected. Looses poisons on drying or cooking.
AUTOPSY: black blood liver, lungs congested
ANTIDOTE: tannic acid, stimulants, coffee, emetic of zinc, mustard, castor oil,
artificial respiration, keep very warm.
MAN: children commonly affected from making pea shooters from stems, or is mistaken
for Parsley Or from eating animals impregnated with poison
ANIMAL: cases of pigs cattle, geese, ducks, death. Larks thrushes, quails eat seeds
so the flesh is impregnated with poison Not poisonous to horses goats, sheep.
Coles ‘Art Of Simpling’ : “Asses feeding on Hemlock asleep, & seem dead, in so much that
some have some have flayed off their skins, after which they wake up much to the astonishment
& grief of their owners.”
MEDICINAL USES
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: amanoid perfume Seeds have high concentrations of coniane,
2.77%, which is a volatile colourless liquid, first alkaloid to be produced, synthetically. Plant
coniine conhydrin, coniceine, mucilage, fixed oils, 12% ash. Contains alkaloids methyl-conline.pseudoconhydrine, ethyl piperdrine,
EFFECT: narcotic, sedative, relieves pain.
PARTS: young leaves & seeds.
APPLICATION: infusion in neurlagia, syphilis, asthma, chronic rheumatism, epilepsy, mania,
cholera, cramp. Externally in ointment for mastitis, tumours, haemorrhoids. Used in
homoeopathy for diziness, anxiety, depression, pre menstrual tension.
HISTORICAL MEDICINAL USES
Ancient Greek & Arabs used it as cure for indolent tumours, pains of joints,, affections of skin.
Dioscorides used it for herpes & eryspelas. Used in Anglo Saxon medicine. Mediaeval : mixed with
Betony & Fennel for rabies Baron Storch, 1760 used it for cancerous ulcers.
Root roasted in. embers, Wrapped in wet paper for gout An antidote to tetanus, hydrophobia
strychnine Sedative and narcotic dried leave Bronchitis asthma : inhalation of fumes. Neuralgia &
rheumatic complaints in proprietory medicines Relieve pain, soothe and calm, relax muscular spasms
‘galenial preparations of herb juice. Teething epilepsy, cramp, paralysis agiatas (early stages), acute
mania, spasm of larynx and gullet: Herb juice.
OTHER USES
A draft of Hemlock used as a method of execution for condemned criminals in Ancient Greece.
Socrates was condemned to death by Hemlock In 399 B.C. "for impiety on two accounts the young,
neglect, of the Gods & practice of religious noveltes" Also ancient philosophers tired of life,
crowned with garlands would drink a draft of Hemlock, before saying goodbye to his assembled
friends. Under Jewish law’ it was’ given to criminals, who were stoned or crucified to numb the pain.
The Sutu of S. Africa catch fish by poisoning them with Hemlock roots.
FOLKLORE
The purple streaks on stem represent the brand put on Cains brow after he committed murder.
The Greek God Prometheus, who after bringing fire to the mortals in a Hemlock stalk, was condemned
by the Gods to eternal punishment, and Hemlock doomed to kill all mortal creatures who ate it.
Shakespears’ ‘Henry V’ :“Her fallow leas, The damnel Hemlock & rank fumitory. . .& nothing
teems but hatefull docks, rough thistle, kecksies, burrs.”
Shakespears’ ‘King Lear’: draped in weeds the feeble King is crowned with rank fumiter and
furrowed weeds, with burdocks, Hemlock, nettles,
Shakespears’ ‘Macbeth’: A witch used a root of Hemlock “digg’d i’ the dark” in her brew.
Ben Johnsons’ ‘The Witches Song’ in ‘Masque of the Queen’: “I ha’ been a plucking
Hemlock, Henbane, Adders tongue, Nightshade.”
Thomas Campbell, 1777-1844 : “By the witches tower, where Hellebore & Hemlock seem to weave,
round its dark vaults, a melancholy bower, for spirits of the dead at nights enchanted hour.”
Anne Pratt, 1850: “An eccentric keeper of South Fareland lighthouse, defying its odour
& reputation made a bower out of Hemlock stems, to protect himself from wind and sun. The
faint smell gives him no disgust, but an old coast guardsman who visits occasionally sits himself
some distance away on a crag.”
Plant of Saturn. Birthday flower for 15 Feb. 127
EXTERNAL LINKS FOR Conium maculatum
These links to trusted websites and institutions may provide in depth or additional information regards cultivation, chemistry, edibility, images etc. for the species. Links last updated Aug 2012.
Wikipedia (EU) Plants For a Future (UK) NatureGate (FIN)
Bio Info (UK) National Center for Biotechnology Info (USA) APHOTOFLORA (UK)
BIO Images (UK) ABC Homoeopathy (UK) The Poison Garden (UK)
Bug Wood Wiki (USA) New England Homeopathy (USA)
Int Academy of Classical Homoeopathy A Modern Herbal. M. Grieve (UK)
'Online Guide To Umbelliferae Of The British Isles' Compiled By J.M.Burton 2002