English
ivy
Hedera
Hedera helix L
FAMILY: Araliaceae
DISTRIBUTION:
Hedera helix is a cultivated plant grown indoors as a pot subject or
outside, usually as a wall or ground cover.
DESCRIPTION:
English ivy is a trailing or climbing vine with a diversity of leaf
shapes ranging from ovate, rotund to variously 3- to 5-lobed or angled, leaves:
firm, evergreen; flowers: small, greenish, produced only when the
branches reach a height of more than 15 feet; sepals: 5, very short; petals:
5, fleshy; stamens: 5; ovarv: 5-celled, 1 style; fruit: a
round, 3- to 5-seeded berry.
TOXIC PARTS:
The black berries and leaves of English ivy are poisonous if consumed in
quantlty.
TOXICITY:
Hedera helix is a purgative that produces local irritation,
excessive salivation, nausea, excitement, difficulty in breathing, severe
diarrhea, thirst, and coma.
TOXIC PRINCIPLES:
The toxic substance is hederin, a glycoside of the steroidal saponin
hederagenin.
TREATMENT:
-
Gastric lavage, emesis ; paraldehyde
(2-10 cc) IM; Artificial respiration and oxygen