General poisoning notes:

Tall manna grass (Glyceria grandis) is a native and naturalized grass found across Canada. This plant has caused sickness and death in a herd of cattle in British Columbia. The poisoning took place early in the season, suggesting that the amount of cyanogenic potential decreases in the plant later in the season (Puls et al. 1978).

References:

Puls, R., Newschwander, F. P., Greenway, J. A. 1978. Cyanide poisoning from Glyceria grandis S. Wats. ex Gray (tall mannagrass) in a British Columbia beef herd. Can. Vet. J., 19: 264-265.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Glyceria grandis S. Wats.
 

Vernacular name(s): tall manna grass

Scientific family name: Gramineae

Vernacular family name: grass

Go to ITIS*^ca for more taxonomic information on: Glyceria grandis

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
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Northwest Territories
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
 

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

tall manna grass:

Images: images.google.com

Toxic parts:

leaves
stems
 

References:

Puls, R., Newschwander, F. P., Greenway, J. A. 1978. Cyanide poisoning from Glyceria grandis S. Wats. ex Gray (tall mannagrass) in a British Columbia beef herd. Can. Vet. J., 19: 264-265.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

An unknown cyanogenic glycoside that can be converted to cyanide in the animal body is found in tall manna grass. Cyanide in concentrations of more than 10 ppm was detected in whole blood taken from poisoned cattle (Puls et al. 1978).

Toxic plant chemicals:

unknown chemical
 

References:

Puls, R., Newschwander, F. P., Greenway, J. A. 1978. Cyanide poisoning from Glyceria grandis S. Wats. ex Gray (tall mannagrass) in a British Columbia beef herd. Can. Vet. J., 19: 264-265.

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:

death
gait, staggering
liver, congestion of
 

Notes on poisoning:

Symptoms included staggering and death. The liver was congested and lung lobes showed interlobular edema and slight emphysema. Animals that were staggering, but did not fall, recovered (Puls et al. 1978).

References:

Puls, R., Newschwander, F. P., Greenway, J. A. 1978. Cyanide poisoning from Glyceria grandis S. Wats. ex Gray (tall mannagrass) in a British Columbia beef herd. Can. Vet. J., 19: 264-265.