This news story really illustrates how careful and knowledgeable you have to be when it comes to eating wild plants while out on the trail. This snippet of the news story is all that is available in text as the only other info available is an audio link (below) to Alaska Public Radio Network.

According to KHNS-FM (Haines, via APRN), five Canadian hikers became ill, one gravely so, after eating bulbs of the leafy plant known as False Hellebore (Veratrum viride) while they hiked the Chilkoot Trail. The plant has medicinal uses, but is one of the very most poisonous on the entire Northwest Coast. After eating the roots, the hikers started showing symptoms, and their rescue was a lucky twist of fate. Officials say at the worst point after being evacuated, one hiker in particular was close to death. Medical attention came in time, though, and all five hikers have recovered.

This link to the audio broadcast runs just over 4 minutes.

Link to a photo of the False Hellebore

It always freaks me out when I hear of people going out "to collect wild mushrooms". That is SO not a good idea. Glad they all made it.

HJ

That's the plant we call "the toilet paper plant".

One of it's safer uses.