General poisoning notes:

Marsh arrow-grass (Triglochin palustre) is a native plant that is found sporadically across Canada in damp brackish or calcareous places. A cyanogenic glycoside, triglochinin, is found in the plant. This chemical becomes more abundant during times of moisture depletion within the plants. Occasional poisoning occurs with cattle and sheep in the lower Cariboo district of British Columbia (Majak et al. 1980, Looman et al. 1983).

References:

Cooper, M. R., Johnson, A. W. 1984. Poisonous plants in Britain and their effects on animals and man. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, England. 305 pp.

Looman, J., Majak, W., Smoliak, S. 1983. Stock-poisoning plants of western Canada. Agric. Can. Res. Branch Contrib. 1982-7E. 35 pp.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Triglochin palustre L.
 

Vernacular name(s): marsh arrow-grass

Scientific family name: Juncaginaceae

Vernacular family name: arrow-grass

Go to ITIS*^ca for more taxonomic information on: Triglochin palustre

References:

Agriculture Quebec. 1975. Noms des maladies des plantes du Canada/ Names of plant diseases in Canada. , Quebec City, Que., Canada. 288 pp.

Alex, J. F., Cayouette, R., Mulligan, G. A. 1980. Common and botanical names of weeds in Canada/Noms populaire et scientifiques des plantes nuisibles du Canada. Revised. Agric. Can. Publ., Ottawa, Ont., Canada. 132 pp.

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Scoggan, H. J. 1978, 1979. The flora of Canada. Nat. Mus. Nat. Sci. (Ottawa) Publ. Bot. 7(1)-7(4). 1711 pp.

Van Wijk, H. L. 1911. A dictionary of plant names. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands. 1444 pp.

Victorin, M. 1964. Flore Laurentienne. 2nd ed. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada. 952 pp.

Geographic Information

Alberta
British Columbia
Labrador
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon Territory
 

References:

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Boivin, B. 1966, 1967. Énumération des plantes du Canada. Provencheria 6. Nat. Can. (Que.) 93: 253-274; 371-437; 583-646; 989-1063. 94: 131-157; 471-528; 625-655.

Image or illustration

marsh arrow-grass:

Images: images.google.com

Toxic parts:

flowers
leaves
 

References:

Majak, W., McDiarmid, R. E., Hall, J. W., Van Ryswyk, A. L. 1980. Seasonal variation in the cyanide potential of arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima). Can. J. Plant Sci., 60: 1235-1241.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

A cyanogenic glycoside, triglochinin, is found in marsh arrow-grass. This chemical is also the main toxic component of seaside arrow-grass (Majak et al. 1980).

Toxic plant chemicals:

triglochinin
 

References:

Majak, W., McDiarmid, R. E., Hall, J. W., Van Ryswyk, A. L. 1980. Seasonal variation in the cyanide potential of arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima). Can. J. Plant Sci., 60: 1235-1241.

Animals/Human Poisoning:

Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.

Cattle

General symptoms of poisoning:

convulsions
death
nervousness
recumbency
salivation
 

Notes on poisoning:

In all animals, symptoms of poisoning are similar to those of cyanide poisoning, including convulsions, nervousness, trembling, and recumbency, followed by death. The blood is bright red Looman et al. 1983).

References:

Looman, J., Majak, W., Smoliak, S. 1983. Stock-poisoning plants of western Canada. Agric. Can. Res. Branch Contrib. 1982-7E. 35 pp.

Sheep

General symptoms of poisoning:

convulsions
nervousness
recumbency
salivation
 

References:

Cooper, M. R., Johnson, A. W. 1984. Poisonous plants in Britain and their effects on animals and man. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, England. 305 pp.