Taxon: Cicuta virosa L.

Summary

Genus:

Cicuta

Family:

Apiaceae (alt. Umbelliferae)

Subfamily:

Apioideae

Tribe:

Oenantheae

Nomen number:

404335

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:255. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

02/01/1996 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

1 (1 active, 1 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Cicuta mackenzieana Raup

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 186-187.
Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. 376.
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Mukherjee, P. K. & L. Constance. 1993. Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) of India
Mukherjee, P. K. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. English common names
Mulligan, G. A. & D. B. Munro. 1981. The biology of Canadian weeds. 48. Cicuta maculata L., C. douglasii (DC.) Coult. & Rose and C. virosa L. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 61:93-105. Note: all native Cicuta have poisonous compounds (cicutoxin and cicutol)
Mulligan, G. A. 1980. The genus Cicuta in North America. Canad. J. Bot. 58:1760.
Munro, D. B. Canadian poisonous plants information system (on-line resource).
Nasiripourdori, A. et al. 2011. From toxins targeting Ligand gated ion channels to therapeutic molecules. Toxins 3:260-293. DOI: 10.3390/toxins3030260. Note: this review cites known reported toxins with potential pharmacological uses; leaves of Cicuta virosa (page 278) have cicutoxin
Ohwi, J. 1965. Flora of Japan (Engl. ed.).
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1961. Webster's third new international dictionary.

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	cowbane		1	Mukherjee, P. K. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. English common names
English	European water-hemlock		1	Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
English	water-hemlock		1	1961. Webster's third new international dictionary.
English (Canada)	northern water-hemlock	Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 186-187.
French (Canada)	cicutaire du Nord	Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 186-187.
Swedish	sprängört		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Georgia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Gansu Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hebei Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Heilongjiang Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jilin Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Liaoning Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Nei Mongol Zizhiqu		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shaanxi Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Sichuan Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Hokkaidô
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Honshu
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Kyushu
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Shikoku
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kazakhstan		e.	Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kyrgyzstan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Uzbekistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Mongolia	Mongolia
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Russian Far East	Russian Federation	Kamčatskij kraj		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Russian Far East	Russian Federation	Primorye		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Russian Far East	Russian Federation	Sakhalin		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia	Eastern Siberia		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Western Siberia	Western Siberia		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Jammu and Kashmir
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Belarus			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Estonia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Latvia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Lithuania			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Moldova			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation-European part	European part		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Belgium			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Czech Republic			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Netherlands			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Slovakia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Switzerland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Denmark			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Finland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Ireland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Norway			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Sweden			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	United Kingdom			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Croatia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		n.	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Serbia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Slovenia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario	n.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Québec	n.w.
1	Native	Northern America	Subarctic America	Canada	Northwest Territories	s.w.
1	Native	Northern America	Subarctic America	Canada	Yukon
1	Native	Northern America	Subarctic America	United States	Alaska
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Alberta
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	British Columbia	n.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Manitoba	n.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Saskatchewan	n.

Native
Asia-Temperate

CAUCASUS: Georgia
SIBERIA: Russian Federation-Western Siberia [Western Siberia], Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia [Eastern Siberia]
MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan (e.), Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan
MONGOLIA: Mongolia
RUSSIAN FAR EAST: Russian Federation [Kamčatskij kraj, Primorye, Sakhalin]
CHINA: China [Gansu Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Shaanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu]
EASTERN ASIA: Japan [Hokkaidô, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku]

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India [Jammu and Kashmir]

Europe

NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden
MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia
EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Italy (n.), Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: France

Northern America

SUBARCTIC AMERICA: Canada [Northwest Territories (s.w.), Yukon], United States [Alaska]
EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Québec (n.w.), Ontario (n.)]
WESTERN CANADA: Canada [Saskatchewan (n.), Alberta, Manitoba (n.), British Columbia (n.)]

Reference(s)

Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Medicines	folklore		Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicines	source of pharmaceutical agent	potential	Nasiripourdori, A. et al. 2011. From toxins targeting Ligand gated ion channels to therapeutic molecules. Toxins 3:260-293. DOI: 10.3390/toxins3030260. Note: this review cites known reported toxins with potential pharmacological uses; leaves of Cicuta virosa (page 278) have cicutoxin
Vertebrate poisons	mammals		Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Vertebrate poisons	mammals		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Vertebrate poisons	mammals		Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisons	mammals		Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. 376.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=404335. Accessed 17 April 2026.