Definition

Noun: * A perennial herb native to eastern North America, characterized by clusters of small white flowers and containing the toxin tremetol, which is poisonous to livestock and can contaminate milk.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The field was dotted with the white blooms of Ageratina altissima.
  • Farmers historically feared Ageratina altissima because it caused milk sickness in their cattle.
  • Botanists study Ageratina altissima to understand its ecological role and toxic properties.

Advanced Usage

• In Historical/Botanical Context: The plant is often discussed in relation to 19th-century American pioneer history, as it was a suspected cause of illness, including the death of Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln.
  • The historical impact of Ageratina altissima is a sobering reminder of the dangers of unknown plants to early settlers.

Variants and Related Words

• Common Names: white snakeroot, richweed, white sanicle.
  • While its scientific name is Ageratina altissima, it is more commonly known as white snakeroot.
• Former Scientific Classification: .
  • In older botanical texts, you may find this plant classified as Eupatorium rugosum.

Synonyms

• White snakeroot (primary common name).
• Richweed.
• White sanicle.

Related Phrases/Contexts

• Milk sickness: The illness in humans caused by consuming milk or meat from animals that have ingested Ageratina altissima.
  • The discovery that Ageratina altissima caused milk sickness saved countless lives.
• Tremetol/Tremetone: The toxic compound found within the plant.
  • The toxin tremetol is the active poisonous agent in Ageratina altissima.

Noun

1. American herb having flat-topped clusters of small white flower heads; reputedly a cause of trembles and milk sickness; sometimes placed in genus Eupatorium