Longstalk springparsley (Cymopterus longipes) is a perennial herb from the Parsley family. It is most frequently found in desert-like habitats in the western United States.
Toxic components
C. longipes contains two phototoxic furocoumarins, oxypeucedanin and isoimperitorin, that cause severe acute photosensitization in birds upon exposure to sunlight.
In 1978, Shlosberg et al., conducted a research study on ducklings where they were fed varying doses of C. longipes seeds. Depending on the number of ingested seeds, affects birds suffered from transient photosensitization to acute photosensitization within 3 days, followed by severe damage to the skin of the head, beak, footwebs, and legs. Several weeks later they had severely deformed beaks and footwebs, and one bird died.
- Redness and swelling of unfeathered areas
- loss of feathers
- dried serous fluid on comb and edge of beak
- multiple lesions on feet and legs
- tremors
- limb and beak deformities
