Pimelea

Pimelea

Australian genus of poisonous annual herbs and perennial shrubs in the family Thymelaeaceae; cause two major syndromes: (1) generalized edema, called also St. George or Moree disease, caused in cattle only by a diterpenoid ester, simplexin; the syndrome is one of chronic, right-sided heart failure leading to hydrothorax, massive anasarca and jugular vein distention plus profound anemia and persistent diarrhea; (2) in species other than cattle the only sign is severe diarrhea and a fatal outcome caused by dihydroxycoumarin glycosides; toxic species include P. decora (Flinders poppy), P. elongata, P. flava, P. glauca, P. haematostachya (pimelea or red poppy), P. latifolia (P. altior), P. linifolia, P. microcephala, P. neo-anglica, P. pauciflora, P. prostrata (Strathmore weed), P. simplex, P. trichostachya. Called also many common names, mostly some variation on riceflower, flaxweed.