Doll's Eyes Plant, or White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda)

In Albums: plants

Oct 19th, 2013, by Alex Zorach

This photo shows Doll's Eyes or White Baneberry, Actaea pachypoda. The name "Doll's Eyes" is an obvious reference to the appearance of the berries, and the name "Baneberry" refers to the fact that this plant is very poisonous.

Apparently, the berries contain chemicals that can stop the heart, causing death.

A bunch of these plants were growing in the woods near the Schuylkill center for environmental education in Philadelphia, in a patch of woods where a restoration project was being carried out. This plant was one of the few native understory plants that was doing well in this area.