God on the Drums, the Devil on Base...
Digitalis purpurea
- the Common Foxglove - is a flowering plant, native to most of Europe. The scientific name refers to the ease with which a flower can be fitted over a human fingertip..Due to the presence of the cardiac glycosides, the leaves, flowers and seeds of the plant are all poisonous and can be fatal if eaten. The leaves of the upper stem are particularly potent, with just a nibble, or a deep inhaled breath, being enough to potentially cause death. Extracted from the leaves, the same compounds are used as a medication for heart failure. The compounds have such steep dose-response curves so that minute increases can make the difference between an ineffective clinical dose and a fatal one.
