At first glance, the plants all seem harmless, but it is important to know that there are some highly dangerous, both for humans and animals, if they are even touched.
Di poisonous plants they are also found in abundance in Italy and may even be present in parks or in our gardens. Since they are even capable of endangering a life, it is very important to know how to recognize them in order to keep away from them by taking the necessary precautions.
One of these is the panace of Mantegazza or of Mantegazzi or giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) whose name was a tribute from botanists Emile Levier and Stephane Sommier to their anthropologist friend Paolo Mantegazza.
This herbaceous plant, belonging to the umbrella family and originally from the Caucasus which came to Europe at the end of the 19th century for ornamental purposes, is a very invasive species. It has le large leaves and deeply divided - which often deprive other plants of sunlight and prevent them from growing -, large white inflorescences and can also exceed i 3 meters high. It grows mainly in areas where rivers are present, in meadows and uncultivated land.
The hogweed should never be touched! In fact, even just touching it, the cause of severe skin inflammations, as if they were burns, with bullous lesions and the risk of permanent scarring. Contact of his lymph with the eyes can also lead to blindness.
These very heavy reactions are due to the fact that this plant contains a substance called furocumarin which, in sunlight, causes skin inflammations and blisters: penetrating the nucleus of epithelial cells, it binds to DNA and kills them.
Also 'elimination of this plant it must be done safely, wearing special protections. It is precisely for this reason that, if you ever happen to spot a Mantegazza hogweed, the right thing to do would be to notify the municipality in charge of the area and, unfortunately if a contact occurs, to go immediately to an emergency room.
