Houndstongue (
Cynoglossum officinale) is a poisonous herb that is a member of the Borage family. It is a biennial that produces a rosette the first year of growth and bolts and flowers during the summer of the second year.
C. officinale has a strong mousy-type smell, or of roasted peanuts. The flowers are small, arranged in clusters and not showy.
C. officinale prefers well drained, relatively sandy and gravelly soils. It can also be found in shady areas and especially under the canopy of forests and wetter grasslands.
Toxic components
C. officinale contains four types of pyrrolizidine alkaloids---cynoglossine, consolidine, echinatine and heliosupine. Prolonged ingestion of pyrrolizidine alkaloids leads to liver damage and eventually liver failure. Substantial ingestion results in inhibition of neurons and paralysis.
