Zygadenus elegans : Death Camass

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Monocoteldonae (one seed-leaf)

Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Genera: Zygadenus (Death-camass) (Grk. zygon = yolk + aden = gland, referring to the paired, yolked glands.)

Species: elegans (Lat. for elegant)

English Name(s):

Death Camass,

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plant from underground bulb.
• Region's most poisonous plant. Do Not Eat.
• Stem erect, 15-60cm high, often greyish with thin waxy coating.

Leaves:

• Cluster of basal leaves, linear, 8-30cm long, slightly rigid lengthwise, reduced upwards.

Reproductive Parts:

• Tepals (sepals + petals) 6, greenish or yellowish-white, 7-10mm long, with a large heart-shaped green-yellow gland just above the base.
• Pistil (female part) single. Stamens (male parts) 3, separate.
• Flower clusters terminal racemes, or occasionally panicles.
• Flowers usually perfect (both male and female parts), sometimes only male or female parts.

Seed:

• In capsules about 15mm long, 3 cavities, splitting open down the centre of each cavity.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

• Herbaceous (not woody)
• All parts contain the poisonous alkaloid zygadine.
• Region's most poisonous plant. Do Not Eat.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Most plants finished blooming by 3rd week in July.

Animal Uses:

• Has been reported that the Blue Grouse can eat the bulbs, but it will make their meat poisonous.

Habitat:

• Sunny slopes, open woods, river banks, gravelly places, to moist alpine and tundra.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

• One of the region's most poisonous plants. All parts of the plant contain the poisonous alkaloid zygadine. Do Not Eat.

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• Roots were mashed and applied to swollen knees or aching legs, adhering without a bandage.

Food: