Poisonous Plants of Canada

Leila Wallenius is a reference librarian at the J. N. Desmarais Library
at Laurentian University.

This book is an extensive list of plants that have been documented as
causing an “undesirable physiological response” in humans or animals
or both. It includes native, naturalized, and cultivated plants found in
Canada. The information was compiled from more than 400 sources.

The entries for each plant or family include the following: botanical
(Latin) name, English and French common names, type of plant and
distribution, and poisonous effects on humans and animals. References
are included with the summaries. The information ranges from blanket
statements such as “entire plant is toxic” to a description of
possible symptoms. The work is arranged alphabetically by botanical
name, with an index that provides cross-references from the plants’
common names. The placement of the common-name index before the
botanical-name index limits this work’s usefulness for
non-specialists, at least until one becomes familiar with the layout.

This work would be far more useful if it included drawings or
descriptions of the plants. As it is, to use this listing, one must
first identify the plant and then refer to the book to determine any
poisonous effects. The book will not serve in diagnosing symptoms if the
plant in question is unknown.