Dear Readers, what a tightly-fought quiz this was! First up, welcome and well done to Oneforestfragment, who got 9/10 for which plant was poisonous and which one wasn’t. Then, for those who also named the plants, we have Mike at Alittlebitoutoffocus with 24.5 out of 30, Claire with 25/30, FEARN with 27 out of 30 and Fran and Bobby Freelove the winners this week with 28 out of 30, so well done everyone! What I’ve done is to give one point for identifying the photo of the poisonous plant, and then one point for identifying each of the plants. In two cases it turns out that both plants are poisonous to some extent or another, so for fairness I’ve given you a mark which ever one you chose.
- Which of these berries is poisonous, a) or b)?
1) a) Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladona) (Poisonous)
1) b) Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) edible
2) Beautiful fungi, but which can you eat and which will kill you?
2) a) Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystina) edible
2) b) Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa) Poisonous
3) Two pretty yellow shrubs, but which one could make you sorry that you ever saw it?
3) a) Laburnum (Laburnum amagyroides) poisonous
3) b) Gorse (Ulex europaeus), harmless
4) Bulbs, eh. But which one wouldn’t you want to mistake for an onion?
4) a) Daffodil (Narcissus) poisonous
4) b) Water Chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) edible
5) One of these is edible. One of them will kill you. But can you tell which is which?
5) a) Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) edible
5) b) Water Hemlock, (Conium maculatum) poisonous
6) Common in gardens, but rare in the wild. One of these is sometimes known as the most poisonous wild plant in Britain, but which one?
6) a) Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris), I thought harmless but apparently the seeds can be poisonous, so you get a mark whichever one you choose here!
6) b) Monkshood/Wolfbane (Aconitum napellus), poisonous
7) Lovely green leaves, but which are edible?
7) a) Lords and Ladies/Cuckoopint (Arum maculatum) poisonous
7) b) Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) edible
8) Pretty as a picture, but which one is poisonous?
8) a) Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) poisonous
8) b) Red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum), harmless
9) Even some of our commonest weeds are poisonous, but which ones?
9) a) Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus), poisonous
9) b) Yellow corydalis (Pseudofumaria lutea), also poisonous!
10) And finally, it’s sometimes the sap that will harm you, especially if you get it in your eye. Always be extra careful after handling which of these plants?
10) a) Sunspurge, (Euphorbia helioscopia) the sap is a strong irritant
10) b) Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), harmless and edible.
Great quiz and I’m very pleased with my result! Congratulations to Oneforestfragment (great name 😉), Claire, FEARN and Fran & Bobby.