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Oxypolis rigidior
Also called Cowbane, Stiff Hog Fennel, Water Dropwort, Cherokee Swamp Potato, Common Water Dropwort, Pig Potato
Oxypolis rigidior, known as cowbane, common water dropwort, stiff cowbane, pig-potato, and Cherokee swamp potato, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family native to eastern North America. It is a perennial wildflower found in wet habitats. Oxypolis rigidior has been reported as being poisonous to some mammals, but it is also considered edible and safe by some authors.
Both the roots and top parts have been reported as poisonous to mammals including cattle. However, this plant is also considered edible and safe by some. Thayer states that it is "widely and erroneously reported as poisonous to livestock." He reports that the tubers are edible and says they are "fantastic in any way you'd use a potato"; he also adds that the shoots and greens are not poisonous, although he does not say they are edible as well. He calls the plant "Cherokee swamp potato" in reference to its use in Cherokee cuisine. He also warns that the plant should be gathered with “great caution” due to its resemblance to water hemlock.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Oxypolis rigidior by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
