West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). Said to be THE most toxic plant in the UK, evem the tubular roots - hence a common name "Dead Man's Fingers". But all parts are highly toxic. Lots of photos to follow so you can ID it and know to stay clear of it!

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (16/06/2021) West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). Said to be THE most toxic plant in the UK, evem the tubular roots - hence a common name "Dead Man's Fingers". But all parts are highly toxic. Lots of photos to follow so you can ID it and know to stay clear of it!

West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). Keep dogs on leads by riverbanks or damp areas as even touching the plant or the sap can cause toxicity.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (16/06/2021) West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). Keep dogs on leads by riverbanks or damp areas as even touching the plant or the sap can cause toxicity.

West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). It's a substantial plant with well-separated, pompom-like, umbelletes.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (16/06/2021) West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). It's a substantial plant with well-separated, pompom-like, umbelletes.

West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). Also dangerous beccause forages can mistake it for edible members of the Apiaceae - but if ingested death can occur within a few hours.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (16/06/2021) West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). Also dangerous beccause foragers can mistake it for edible members of the Apiaceae - but if ingested death can occur within a few hours.

Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex.

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). Growing at the edge of the little bridge - always near or in water. The foliage on this one is rather green.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (09/06/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). Growing at the edge of the little bridge - always near or in water. The foliage on this one is rather green.

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). Classic foliage.

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve).

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (09/06/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve).

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). Some specimens seem to have darker, or even grey-green, foliage than others.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (09/06/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). Some specimens seem to have darker, or even grey-green, foliage than others.

Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. It's quite a robust plant and this one is particularly grey-green. I've a feeling they start out much greener when young and perhaps fade to this colour, but I can't be sure.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (22/05/2022) Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. It's quite a robust plant and this one is particularly grey-green. I've a feeling they start out much greener when young and perhaps fade to this colour, but I can't be sure.

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). An individual umbellete. Anthers are first bright red but they darken to a deeper purple as they mature.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (09/06/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). An individual umbellete. Anthers are first bright red but they darken to a deeper purple as they mature.

Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. Classic downward pointing bracteoles beneath each umbellet. These do very between specimens in length and width.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (22/05/2022) Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. Classic downward pointing bracteoles beneath each umbellet. These do very between specimens in length and width.

Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. In fact the anthers have all gone here - these are the styles with stigmas atop, protruding from the ovary. I've hunted around to see what colour the styles are - reddish here - but can't find any other image. But all the other ID features point to this species.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (22/05/2022) Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. In fact the anthers have all gone here - these are the styles with stigmas atop, protruding from the ovary. I've hunted around to see what colour the styles are - reddish here - but can't find any other image. But all the other ID features point to this species.

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (beside pond). Classic habitat for this - it's a young plant.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (02/05/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (beside pond). Classic habitat for this - it's a young plant.

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve very close to the edge of the stream).

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (02/05/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve very close to the edge of the stream).

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (beside pond). Developing umbel.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (02/05/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (beside pond). Developing umbel.

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (beside pond). Showing the bracts beneath the umbel and the young umbellets with bracteoles beneath.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (02/05/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (beside pond). Showing the bracts beneath the umbel and the young umbellets with bracteoles beneath.

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). A mass of foliage of different shades of green, they do vary in colour.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (09/06/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). A mass of foliage of different shades of green, they do vary in colour.

West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). Lots of photos so you can ID it because it is so dangerous. Do not pick it or let your dog anywhere near it.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (03/07/2021) West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (top of near the pond). Lots of photos so you can ID it because it is so dangerous. Do not pick it or let your dog anywhere near it.

Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. The leaves can be quite blue-green.

Footpath along Adur River, near the underside of the Shorehan fly-over, heading towards Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. Very thick, hollow and ridged stems.

West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (near stream/pond). Fruits in distinct pom-pom like clusters replciating the pom-pom well-separated flower clusters when it is in bloom.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (03/07/2021) West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (near stream/pond). Fruits in distinct pom-pom like clusters replciating the pom-pom well-separated flower clusters when it is in bloom.

West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (near stream/pond). Fruits showing the tendency of the styles to turn pinkish as the fruit ages.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (03/07/2021) West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (near stream/pond). Fruits showing the tendency of the styles to turn pinkish as the fruit ages.

West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (near stream/pond).

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (03/07/2021) West Mill Lane, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (near stream/pond).

Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). These are fruits in early stages of maturation, white ovaries and styles with stigmas atop still present.

Hemlock Water-Dropwort / Dead Man's Fingers / Poisonous Parsnip (Oenanthe crocata) (09/06/2022) Woods Mill Nature Reserve, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex (field at the back of the reserve). These are fruits in early stages of maturation, white ovaries and styles with stigmas atop still present.