General poisoning notes:

Western minniebush (Menziesia ferruginea) is a native shrub found in western Canada. This plant has occasionally been implicated in cases of sheep poisoning. Feeding experiments have shown that it does cause poisoning in sheep. It is considered less toxic that some other members of the heath family, such as Kalmia spp. and Rhododendron spp. (Marsh 1914, Kingsbury 1964).

References:

Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., USA. 626 pp.

Marsh, C. D. 1914. Menziesia, a new stock-poisoning plant of the northwestern states. U.S. Dep. Agric. Bur. Plant Ind., 16. 3 pp.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Menziesia ferruginea Sm.

Vernacular name(s): western minniebush

Scientific family name: Ericaceae

Vernacular family name: heath

Go to ITIS*^ca for more taxonomic information on: Menziesia ferruginea

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

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

western minniebush:

Images: images.google.com

Toxic parts:

leaves

References:

Fuller, T. C., McClintock, E. 1986. Poisonous plants of California. Univ. California Press, Berkeley, Calif., USA. 432 pp.

Marsh, C. D. 1914. Menziesia, a new stock-poisoning plant of the northwestern states. U.S. Dep. Agric. Bur. Plant Ind., 16. 3 pp.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

Andromedotoxins (grayanotoxins) are diterpenoid alkaloids. These toxins are common to all poisonous members of the heath family (including Kalmia spp. and Rhododendron spp.).

Toxic plant chemicals:

andromedotoxins

Chemical diagram(s) are courtesy of Ruth McDiarmid, Biochemistry Technician, Kamloops Range Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamploops, British Columbia, Canada.

References:

Fuller, T. C., McClintock, E. 1986. Poisonous plants of California. Univ. California Press, Berkeley, Calif., USA. 432 pp.

Animals/Human Poisoning:

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

Sheep

General symptoms of poisoning:

breathing, labored
gait, staggering
mouth, frothing of
nausea
paralysis
salivation
weakness

References:

Marsh, C. D. 1914. Menziesia, a new stock-poisoning plant of the northwestern states. U.S. Dep. Agric. Bur. Plant Ind., 16. 3 pp.