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The Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) belongs to Apiaceae (the Carrot family). It is a biennial herb that is native to Europe, West Asia, and North Africa. This herb grows in roadsides, edges of cultivated fields, and near streams, and it can reach 1.5-2.5 m in height. The stem is green, hollow and usually spotted or streaked with red or purple on the lower half of the stem. The leaves are 2-4 pinnate, finely divided and lacy, overall triangular in shape. The small, white flowers bloom in umbels in summer. The leaves and root emit a rank, unpleasant odor when crushed. The whole plant is highly poisonous.
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