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Baneberry

 

 

The plant with „siu“, snake, as part of its name has been known as poisonous from ancient times. Its English name indicates danger too. The whole of the baneberry is toxic, all parts of the plant, and moreover with a rather unpleasant odour. 

 

Habitats are fresh broadleaf forests, as the „salu“ in the full Estonian name indicates. It forms a luscious, about half-metre high stand, with leaves with two or three leaflets. The fruits are glossy black and slightly oblong-shaped, in conspicuous clusters on the stem. They taste disgustingly, politely expressed, and contain anemonin with a searing effect. On accidental eating they cause heartburn in the stomach as well as the mouth, accompanied by strong stomach pains, and it proceeds to worse. It is not told in order to scare but it should be recognized that for children the toxic effect can certainly be more serious.