pete wrote:
>
> So anyway, a friend of mine was collecting ramps,
> which I introduced him to,
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_tricoccum
>
> in his woods a few weeks ago,
> and while he was gathering some with his son,
> he noticed another plant.
> I think he was very taken with the concept
> of tramping through the woods
> and feasting on the available flora,
> so he ate a leaf from the other plant.
> It had no disgreeable taste and the leaf was tender
> and he felt fine for about forty five minutes.
> His son tasted it and spit it out.
>
> We later identified the plant as false hellebore.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veratrum_viride
>
> It turns out that the false hellebore
> is one of the most (if not *the* most) poisonous
> green plants that grow in those woods,
> and that was the time of the year when they are at their
> peak toxicity and he almost died.

An herbalist friend likes to tromp through the woods indentifying plant
species. Sometimes she collects them and plants them at home. She has
a vast variety of herbs in her garden at this point. When I visit next
month I'll take home one we've already discussed and make hops free
herbal ale. Second year, second different herb in the ale. Last year
it was woodruff (the spice used in German May wine). Very popular.
This year it will be meadow sweet.

One time she came back with from the woods with no herbs and her hands
away from her body. She said she needed to take a shower. Came back
later with fresh clothes. Whatever she'd been in was so toxic that
just from touching it she was in danger. Something in the nighshade
family she said.

I'll let the herbalists do that wild collection stuff. I'm adventurous
cooking herbs into my food but I do it with the ones that are safe
enough to make it to a shop.