water hemlock

American  

noun

1. any of several poisonous plants belonging to the genus Cicuta, of the parsley family, as C. virosa of Europe, and C. maculata of North America, growing in swamps and marshy places.

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water hemlock British  

noun

1. another name for cowbane

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Etymology

Origin of water hemlock

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

Feral horses, belonging to my grandfather, ran wild over thick banks of water hemlock, and there were more than a few rattlesnakes.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Poisoning with water hemlock undoubtedly occurs more frequently than shown by any record.

From Food Poisoning by Jordan, Edwin Oakes

Just as the cow-parsnip shows a preponderance of flies among its visitors, so the water hemlock seems to attract far more bees and wasps than any of the umbel-bearing carrot tribe.

From Wild Flowers An Aid to Knowledge of Our Wild Flowers and Their Insect Visitors by Blanchan, Neltje

Our water hemlock is equally poisonous, and much more common.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 829, November 21, 1891 by Various

The other ingredients have no marked toxic action, unless 'berle' and 'ache' refer not to the harmless water parsnip but to the poisonous water hemlock or cowbane.

From The Witch-cult in Western Europe A Study in Anthropology by Murray, Margaret Alice