There is no doubt that Privet and a number of other introdusce plants
(Cotoneaster for example contain ammounts of cyanogenics which are poison but
birds do eat them at certain times with no apparent effect) do contain levels
of poisons. To quote from the "Poison Plants of NSW" by E. Hurst (1942)
"Ligustrum spp. Privet.
The leaves and fruit of Privet are said to be poisonous. Violent purging and
death have occured when children have eaten thre berries (Pammel, 1911; Long
1924; Muenscher, 1939; "Sydney Mornibng Herald", 1938b). in a case where a
child was poisoned in Melbourne the stomach was said to have contained lethal
quantities of the berries. horses have been poisoned by the leaves, the
symptoms observed being loss of power in the hind limbs, slightly injected
mucous membranes and dilatation of the of the pupils of the eyes, followed by
death within 48 hours. Some draught horses were lost at Inverell in 1904 as the
result of browsing on the leaves of L. robustum.
Ligustrum vulgare is said to contain a glucosidal substance syringopicrin,
C26H24O17, and the leaves and bark of L. robustum to contain and alkaloid."
Just how birds are able to feed on the berries of these plants without massive
levels of death is not explained.
Alan Leishman,
Royal Botanic Gardens,
Sydney
>>> <> 05/25/00 07:10pm >>>
I'm rather concerned about Peter Ekert's response, particularly
given that for his Homebush role it seems to me rather
complacent about introduced plants. OK - there may be no or
little evidence in relation to camphor laurel (and privet) and
the pigeons.
But privet is an invasive environmental weed (as is camphor
laurel) and everything we know about how little we do know
suggests that the ecosystems will in some way or another be
damaged by these plants. An increase in pigeons is no more
valuable ecologically than an increase in Common Mynas, however
much a buzz it gives local tickers.
What's happening to the understorey, the insects, the
biodegredation of leaf fall ...
Anyhow as a child in England I was told never to eat the privet
berries. Folk nonsense - or folk wisdom ?
Michael Norris
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