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Poke Berry
Phytolacca
40.3897, -122.242
Field Notes
Description:
The genus comprises about 25 species of perennial herbs, shrubs, and trees growing from 1 to 25 m (3.3 to 82 ft) tall. They have alternate simple leaves, pointed at the end, with entire or crinkled margins; the leaves can be either deciduous or evergreen. The stems are green, pink or red. The flowers are greenish-white to pink, produced in long racemes at the ends of the stems. They develop into globose berries 4–12 mm diameter, green at first, ripening dark purple to black.
Notes:
Phytolaccatoxin and phytolaccigenin are present in many species which are poisonous to mammals. However, the berries are eaten by birds, which are not affected by the toxin because the small seeds with very hard outer shells remain intact in the digestive system and are eliminated whole.
When we initially observed these,however, we were lead to believe that they were safe. We sampled just a couple, though not sweet, we weren't fond of them either. Now that I know they are poisonous, you can be certain we won't try them again!
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