"Canberra News, Views and Opinion"
Territory and Municipal Services has issued a “Fireweed Alert” which sounds rather exciting:
Canberrans are urged to be on the lookout for infestations of Madagascan Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) which were recently discovered in Crace, Forde, Franklin and Bruce.
“While the weed is commonly found in the surrounding NSW region, the first serious incursion of Madagascan Fireweed in the ACT only occurred in 2011, when a member of the public spotted the plant along the Monaro Highway,” said Steve Taylor, Senior Invasive Weeds Officer, ACT Parks and Conservation Service.
“Since then, small infestations have also been spotted and brought under control along the Kings Highway, Tuggeranong Parkway, Gundaroo Drive and Horse Park Drive.
…
“If you suspect you have seen Madagascan Fireweed please take note of the location and call Canberra Connect on 13 22 81. Taking a photo of the suspected plant may also help save time in confirming reports.”
Wikipedia has this alarming warning about the effects of the weed:
Symptoms of poisoning from fireweed include gradual weight loss, jaundice, fluid in the lungs, blindness, sudden death without any other indications, aimless wandering, muscular coordination, twitching of the head muscles, abdominal straining, rectal prolapse, and irritability.
Which makes it pretty bad news in my book!
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Fireweed? Can this bad boy be put in a pipe and smoked?
Pitchka said :
given the side effects, I think it would be safest to keep smoking nutmeg.
Given “muscular coordination” as a symptom I wouldn’t be surprised if our athletes started using it, the side effects of other drugs don’t seem to worry them.
I would also think that “sudden death” should be the first symptom and not tucked away in the middle there.
colourful sydney racing identity said :
Nah nutmeg is for pussies whereas datura?
bundah said :
I’ll stick with banana peels.
Geez, those symptoms are hardcore. Would there be any effects just from breathing in pollun or something from it? Or are those just from eating it, which nobody would hopefully do?
rhino said :
Judging from the wiki article I think the concern is for cattle and livestock that may eat the weed.
bundah said :
Datura Stramonium is for pussies where is the Jenkem?
“sudden death without any other indication”
is it still a sudden death if there are other indications? or is that sentence just redundant? lol
Aimless wandering.
Zombies cows?
Disposable said :
Jenkem is for pussies, whereas the Senecio Madagascariensis…wait…Arrgh, I’ve got to stop sniffing ajax.
colourful sydney racing identity said :
Any drug that causes rectal prolapse and irritability (propbably brought on by the prolapse) is worth a look, with the added bonus of aimless wandering and occasional death sounds hardcore and will be a huge hit with the kids and hipster junkies.
PBO said :
Puts a whole different slant of walking around Civic with your arse hanging out of your trousers though….
PBO said :
I larfed
Disposable said :
You – new keyboard please.
So from irritability to sudden death that just about covers every symptom known to man.
The symptoms are for livestock… things usually get declared as various levels of noxious weed based on their negative effects on livestock. And the ACT government will follow its usual habit of… completely ignoring the problem. The infestations of weeds that are meant to be controlled by law in ACT public lands is disgusting. Blackberry and St Johns wort are rampant, we were out past Lanyon a while back and the whole place is infested with African Lovegrass. There’s horrible Caltrop at the lake end of Telopea Park (don’t ride your bike off the path or your tyres will become very porous).