Action to be taken over lethal plants on Badenoch path
The Strathy has been assured that experts are to look at a crop of dangerous plants which are growing on a popular public trail.
Alarm was raised on social media last week by those who suspected Monkshood was growing just too close to where families and children pass by regularly.
"Normally we would leave well alone but whom to contact if you find a very attractive but deadly poisonous – to the touch as well as if eaten – plant on the edge of a path, well used by families with small kids, in the forest near Feshie Bridge?" asked one worried walker.
"Last time I found it a few years ago I tried ringing the local forestry but got through to a central call centre who hadn’t a scoobies what/where I was talking about.
"Now my daughter has just found another specimen nearby."
The latest spot was recorded right on Kincraig's very popular Frank Bruce Sculpture Trail, which accompanies a public path linking the village with the B970 as it runs down to the picturesque picnic are at Feshiebridge.
The path runs round behind Invereshie Estate.
A spokesperson for Forestry and Land Scotland told the Stathy today: “Native flowering plants like monkshood are beneficial to insects and normally we would leave them alone.
“However, we’ve become aware that this plant is growing close to a promoted path, in a well-used area, so in this case we will visit to assess and remove as needed.
“There are a number of poisonous plants and fungi which grow naturally in our forests. All have their place in nature and are quite safe for us to look at but we recommend that visitors do not touch –and certainly don’t eat – anything they cannot identify as safe.”
Monkshood, or 'Aconitum napellus' is not native in Scotland, just southern parts of UK.
Most of those here are garden escapees.
They are highly toxic flowering plants growing to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall, with hairless stems and leaves. The leaves are rounded, 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) diameter and the flowers are dark purple to bluish-purple, narrow oblong helmet-shaped, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) tall.
Like other species in the genus, A. napellus contains several poisonous compounds, including enough cardiac poison that it was used on spears and arrows for hunting and battle in ancient times.
Marked symptoms may appear almost immediately, usually not later than one hour, and "with large doses, death is almost instantaneous".
Death usually occurs within two to six hours in fatal poisoning.
The initial signs are gastrointestinal including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This is followed by a sensation of burning, tingling, and numbness in the mouth and face, and of burning in the abdomen.
In severe poisonings pronounced motor weakness occurs and cutaneous sensations of tingling and numbness spread to the limbs.
Treatment of poisoning is mainly supportive. All patients require close monitoring of blood pressure and cardiac rhythm.
