Origins: dry waste places and forest borders.

Uses: This plant is a cardiotonic drug that is extremely poisonous. It has been used as a diuretic, diaphoretic, expectorant, and emetic. Because of its use by American Indians in treating dropsy, it has been called dropsy weed. Indians also used the tough fibrous bark to make fishing nets, and some western Indians chewed dried bits of the latex. The plant exhibits cytotoxicity but no antitumor activity.

Toxicity: Poisonous

A guide to medicinal plants of Appalachia/ Krochmal, Arnold; Walter, Russel S.; Doughty, Richard M.: USA: U.S.D.A Forest Service:,1959