Swallow-wort
Vincetoxicum hirundinaria
The name Vincetoxicum means 'conqueror of poison,' though it is ironically toxic; it was once used in folk medicine as a dubious antidote for snakebites.
- Scientific name
- Vincetoxicum hirundinaria
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Gentianales › Apocynaceae › Vincetoxicum
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Dry, calcareous grasslands, rocky slopes, and light open forests.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
- Range
- Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
- Size
- 30 to 120 cm tall
- Lifespan
- Perennial (5-15 years)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss due to intensive agriculture and urban expansion.
- Safe to approach?
- Dangerous if ingested. This plant contains vincetoxin, which can cause severe vomiting and affect heart rate. The milky sap can be a skin irritant; wash skin thoroughly if contact occurs. Do not consume and keep away from pets.
Vincetoxicum hirundinaria , commonly named white swallow-wort , is a long-lived herbaceous perennial of the genus Vincetoxicum in the family Apocynaceae.
Photo: Klaus Wehrlin, CC0, via iNaturalist
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