Senecio ilicifolius explained

Senecio ilicifolius is a plant endemic to South Africa and belonging to the family Asteraceae.

It is found in the Eastern and Western Cape growing up to 1 meter tall, and readily identified by its rigid holly-like leaves.^[1] Its leaves are clasping, adnate and somewhat decurrent at the base, acute, sharply and coarsely toothed with revolute margins, glabrous and scabrous-dotted above, whitish felted below.^[2]

Senecio species are a rich source of alkaloids and 'Meyler's Side Effects of Herbal Medicines' lists S. ilicifolius as producing pterophine and senecionine. Senecionine is toxic and problematic for feed stock and human consumption, causing cirrhosis of the liver,^[3] has a melting point of 232° and is only slightly soluble in water. It is not destroyed by the baking of bread from flour using contaminated wheat.^{[4] [5] [6]}

External links

• iSpot

Notes and References

1. Web site: Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants.
2. Web site: Senecio ilicifolius in Global Plants.
3. 'International Poisonous Plants Checklist: An Evidence-Based Reference' - D. Jesse Wagstaff
4. 2263/59471 . free . Senecio alkaloids. Part III. Chemical investigations upon the Senecio species responsible for "bread-poisoning". The isolation of senecionine from Senecio ilicifolius Thunb. And a new alkaloid "rosmarinine" from Senecio rosmarinifolius Linn . Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Science and Animal Industry . 15 . 1, 2 . July–October 1940 . De Waal . H. L..
5. Senecio disease, or cirrhosis of the liver, due to senecio poisoning. South African Medical Journal. September 1920. 18. 18. 346–348.
6. https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/49280/21steyn1933.pdf?sequence=1