Oenanthe aquatica (L)Poiret Fine Leaved Water Dropwort
NOMENCLATURE
Oenanthe: from Greek, ________ : oinanthe:grape like inflorescence.
aquatica: growing in water.
Dropwort: swollen tubers resemble drops, a signature in medieval
times that it opened blocked urinary tracts drop by drop.
PREVIOUS NAMES: 0.phellandrium (Lam). Phellandrium aquaticum (L).
OTHER NAMES : water fennel. horsebane.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE : erect annual or biennial. 30-150cm. Sometimes perennating by offsets. Hyd.
STATUS: poisonous. AROMA : grape like. ROOTS: of young plant; tuborous.
Tubers disappearing as plant flowers. STEMS: hollow, striate, often very stout.
They change direction characteristically. H : 150cm.
UMBELS: 2-4 cm diam. Compound, terminal and leaf opposed. Rays 4-16, 1-4cm, scabrid. Peduncle
shorter than the rays. Most with Male and Hermaphrodite flowers. Partial umbels occur.
LEAVES: pale green, 2-3-4 pinnate, finely divided. Aerial: deeply lobed segments 5mm, lobes lancolate
to ovate acute, pinnatifid. Petiole with sheathing base. Lower: submerged, with filiform segments.
BRACTS: 0 or 1. Bracteoles usually 4-8 subulate.
FLOWERS: white. Petals of outer flowers sub-equal, others notched, with long inflexed point.
Calyx teeth persistent, acute, triangular. Styles form a stylopodium. Fl. 6-9.
FRUIT : 3.5-4.5mm, ovoid, cylindrical or globose or oblong-ovoid. Commisure broad, carpels
1/2 terete, 2 lateral ridges grooved or thickened, sometimes obscure. Carpophore present.
Vittae solitary in furrows. Styles < than 1/2 as > as fruit, divergent. Stigma a small knob. 2n=22*
HABITAT: mineral rich, stagnant, slow flowing waters. wet places, fens, ditches.
DISTRIBUTION: England & E. Wales, S.E. Scotland, C.Ireland. Most of Europe, E. to C.Asia
POISONING PRINCIPLES
Depressive, death from paralysis. Overdose of fruits causes vertigo, intoxication. Symptoms :
irritation of stomach, failure of circulation, cerebral disturbance, giddiness, convulsions, coma.
CASE : Recorded by John Ray l7thC : quoting letter from Irish physician Dr. Francis Vaughan,
"8 boys went fishing in Clonmell, Tiperary. They mistook Oenanthe aquaticum for Sium aquaticum
&ate the roots. 4-5 hours after arriving home, they had fits, 4 died, the other 3 ran stark mad, but
came to reason, anothers hairs & nails fell out. All had their speech paralysed."
MEDICINAL USES
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS : phellandrol, falcarinon. Fruits : 1-2 1/2 % ethereal oil, known
as water fennel oil, containing 80% terpene phellandrene.
PARTS: mature fruits only.
APPLICATION: bronchitis, cough, pneumonia, digestive disorders. Homeopathy only.
HISTORICAL MEDICINAL USES
Fruits in chronic pectoral affections bronchitis, pulmonary consumption, asthma, dyspepsia, intermittent.
fever, obstinate ulcers, 5-6 grains every four hours. Alcoholic essence of fruits for consumption & bronchitis. Externally root for piles.
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