ABSTRACT
The identification of plants can be daunting and it is often difficult to distinguish between toxic and nontoxic varieties. There are many inconsistencies with plant names in different regions and sometimes even within the same community. Accidental toxic plant exposures most often involve either young children exploring their environment or adults foraging for edible wild plants. Poisoning situations may also arise from contamination or misidentification of plants and herbs collected and used for cooking or for dietary supplements with purported health benefits. Castor plants are substantial agrocrops grown for their oil content, which has industrial applications as a lubricant, and for some chemical processes. Plants also grow wild and are a favorite residential landscaping choice. Plants from which the wild garlic was obtained were collected and identified as Colchicum persicum, and an analysis of an extract from the plant confirmed the presence of colchicine.
