Revenge of the Giant Hogweed

If the day of the triffids were ever to come, then Heracleum mantegazzianum, would be the henchmen. The giant hogweed, also known as the cartwheel-flower, the giant cow parsnip, hogsbane, or giant cow parsley, is a nasty plant. It is called hogweed because the flowers smell of pigs. But, that is not the worst thing about it. You may have read in the news recently of the crippling effects it had on an unwitting Welsh gardener. His bare legs brushing against the plant developed nasty and deep blisters in the coming days and awful pain. He is apparently still unable to walk because of the damage done by the plant. The plant, of which Peter Gabriel once sang in the Genesis song “Return of the Giant Hogweed” on the band’s 1971 Nursery Cryme album, is native to the Caucasus region and Central Asia. Victorian botanists brought it to Great Britain as an ornamental plant and it has since spread across Europe, North America, and elsewhere. It is the plant’s sap that causes problems for animals that come into contact with it. The sap contains chemicals known as furocoumarin derivatives. These are present in the leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and seeds of the plant. Furocoumarins are natural products, organic compounds produced by the plant for various reasons, including self-defense against herbivores that would eat it. Unfortunately, they cause phytophotodermatitis in people, leading to itching, burning, painful blisters within a day or two, and lon...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Science Source Type: blogs