1. A poisonous plant of the parsley family, native to Europe, with small white flowers and a musty smell; also called hemlock.
Usage: Also spelled 'conion'; Scientific name: Conium maculatum; The plant contains toxic alkaloids
2. A poisonous alkaloid extract or preparation derived from the conium plant, historically used in medicine and as an execution poison.
Usage: Historical/archaic usage; Refers to the toxic compound or drug made from the plant

Examples

• Conium grows wild in many temperate regions and is easily recognized by its spotted stems.
• The ancient Greeks used conium as a method of execution, most famously in the case of Socrates.
• Farmers must be careful to remove conium from pastures where livestock graze.
• All parts of the conium plant are toxic if ingested.
• The musty odor of conium is one way to identify it in the field.