Was happy to hear a Cap Public Radio story this morning about poison hemlock (Conium maculatum). I had some thoughts on the report.

1) Poison hemlock is not native to Nevada, as the story suggested... it's a European weed (think Socrates). Maybe the writers heard "naturalized".

2) People don't normally get violently ill just from touching poison hemlock. (I wouldn't roll around in it, though, and I would wash hands after touching it.)

3) Emphasize, emphasize, emphasize the purple spots on the stem! (Hence "maculatum".) That's how you can tell PH apart from other similar parsley-looking plants.

Comments aside, it's good to have some weed publicity.