graham wrote:
>
> "sarah" > wrote
> > I certainly peel them, but haven't paid close attention to cutting out
> > all the damaged bits. I know about the skin irritation bit; they (and
> > many other members of the family) contain a chemical that blocks the
> > skin's ability to protect itself from the sun. Depending on the
> > sensitivity of your skin you may not see any reaction from quite
> > prolonged contact on solidly overcast days, but sunlight leads to a
> > remarkable burn -- I tested some wild parsnip on my (inner) arm and it
> > raised blisters 12 hours later. I pity the youngsters who used to use
> > the stems as peashooters!
> >
> Is that a feature of all the Umbellifera?
>
It's certainly a feature of the Giant Hogweed.