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Conium is a genus of two species of highly poisonous perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Apiaceae. One, c. maculatum, is native to Europe and the Mediterranean region; the other, c. chaerophylloides is native to southern Africa. Both species are commonly known as hemlock.

Conium contains the alkaloids coniine, N-methylconiine, conhydrine, pseudoconhydrine, g-coniceïne and atropine.

The most important and toxic of these is coniine. Coniine is a neurotoxin, which disrupts the workings of the peripheral nervous system and causes death via ascending muscular paralysis, with eventually paralysis of the respiratory muscles. Medical intervention involves the use of a respirator until the effects have worn off 48-72 hours later. Ingestion of Poison Hemlock in any quantity can result in respiratory collapse and death.

Atropine is also found in belladona, or deadly nightshade. It is also potentially fatal if ingested, but it also has a variety of medical uses. I described those in this post.