Alfombrilla (Drymaria arenarioides H.B.K.) is a highly toxic short-lived perennial of the Caryophyllaceae family found in Mexico. The species has gradually spread northward through Chihuahua and Sonora and now threatens to invade the southwestern United States. Alfombrilla was analyzed for seven common poisonous compounds. Of these, only saponins, which assayed 3.0% of the plant dry weight, were present at toxic levels. Sheep were killed when fed dried alfombrilla at 0.5% of body weight and with saponin extracted from an equivalent weight of plant. When 1-week-old chicks were fed alfombrilla at 2 to 3% of body weight and with an equivalent weight of pure saponin extracted from the plant, they were acutely poisoned. Thin-layer chromatography showed that six saponins were present in alfombrilla. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.