General poisoning notes:

Smooth pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) is a naturalized herb found in waste places across Canada. Ingesting this plant has caused nitrate poisoning of cattle in New Zealand. No other literature references to poisoning were found (Duckworth 1975).

References:

Duckworth, R. H. 1975. Poisoning of cattle by Amaranthus. N. Z. Vet. J., 23: 154-155.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Amaranthus hybridus L.

Vernacular name(s): smooth pigweed

Scientific family name: Amaranthaceae

Vernacular family name: amaranth

Go to ITIS*^ca for more taxonomic information on: Amaranthus hybridus

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

Ontario

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

smooth pigweed:

Images: images.google.com

Toxic parts:

stems

References:

Duckworth, R. H. 1975. Poisoning of cattle by Amaranthus. N. Z. Vet. J., 23: 154-155.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

Smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus) has caused poisoning of cattle from nitrate accumulation. All the Amaranthus spp. listed in this information system are nitrate accumulators. In serious cases, poisoning and death can occur (Duckworth 1975, Osweiler et al. 1985).

Toxic plant chemicals:

nitrate

References:

Duckworth, R. H. 1975. Poisoning of cattle by Amaranthus. N. Z. Vet. J., 23: 154-155.

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:

blood brownish
death
gait, unsteady
mucous membrane, brown
nervousness

Notes on poisoning:

In one case in New Zealand, cattle were poisoned and one died as a result of suspected nitrate poisoning after ingesting smooth pigweed. The mucous membranes were brown and the blood was dark. The animals were unsteady. Postmortem findings showed the rumen to be full of the plants, but no obvious lesions were present (Duckworth 1975).

References:

Duckworth, R. H. 1975. Poisoning of cattle by Amaranthus. N. Z. Vet. J., 23: 154-155.

Swine