There were some Aconite clusters on the way from Shiomi-dake to Aino-dake in the Southern Alps. I got hooked and took a picture. Some time after that, I was surprised to hear that the “Aconite insurance murder case” was reported. Only then did I find that aconite was a terrifying flower. It is said to be one of Japan’s three major poisonous plants along with Doku-utsugi and Doku-zeri. Especially, Ezo-aconite is highly toxic, and was used by applying it to the tip of the spear when the Ainu captures the bear. It seems that the poison was painted on the tip of the arrow even during the Warring States period. It contains poison in whole aconite from roots to the tip of flowers and leaves, so never touch it even if you see it in the fields or mountains.

南アルプスの塩見岳から間ノ岳に向かう途中にトリカブトが群生している所があります。夢中になって写真をとりました。その後しばらく経って「トリカブト保険金殺人事件」が報じられ驚いたことがあります。その時初めてトリカブトが恐ろしい花であることを知りました。ドクウツギやドクゼリと並んで日本三大有毒植物だそうです。特にエゾトリカブトは毒性が強く、アイヌが熊を捕獲する際に槍先に塗って利用しました。戦国時代にも矢の先にはこの毒を塗ったそうです。根から花や葉の先まで全草毒が含まれているので、野や山で見かけても決して触れないこと。