Lasiospermum bipinnatum

Abstract

DISTRIBUTION: Grows everywhere, but especially in vleis. Flowers whenever it rains. Western Cape around Boland, Eastern Cape, Karoo, Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. Not found in Kwazulu – Natal. Botanical description: General: A soft-leaved, decumbent to erect herbaceous plant about 40 cm high. A stout woody rhizome with numerous stems. Leaves: Alternate, crowded at the base. Flowers: Yellow disc florets. White to pale purplish pink ray florets. Seed: A round woolly puffball seed head. Seeds are woolly.TOXIC PRINCIPLE: A furanosesquiterpenoid.SYNDROMES: Hepatogenous photosensitivity primarily due to liver parenchymal damage.SYSTEMS AFFECTED: Liver and respiratory systems.CLINICAL SIGNS: • Signs can occur within 3 days of introduction to camp. • Icterus, secondary photosensitivity • Colic, rumen stasis, constipation, tenesmus• Dyspnoea and “lugdikkop” • Foam at nose, marked inspiration and expiration.NECROPSY: Macroscopical findings: • Clear macroscopic damage to liver. Liver swollen, friable and yellow brown. Accentuated lobulation (dark red zones in most gives a mosaic appearance). • Icterus, gall bladder oedema.• Nephrosis.HISTOPATHOLOGY: • Liver - Lesions tend to be peripheral in acute poisoning • Subacute - range of changes• Send in liver specimens for histopathology.