Amianthium is a monotypic genus once considered to belong to the Liliaceae family and now being proposed for the Melanthiaceae family.
Amianthium muscaetoxicum is found in data bases with many alternate spellings. It may have been published at one time with this spelling, but now Amianthium muscitoxicum seems to be preferred. Other synonyms you can find are Amiantanthus muscaetoxicum, Chrosperma muscitoxicum, Melanthium muscaetoxicum, Melanthium muscitoxicum, Zigadenus muscaetoxicum, Zigadenus muscitoxicum, Zigadenus muscitoxicus, and Zygadenus muscaetoxicus. It is native to the eastern United States. All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the bulbs, and the specific epithet, muscaetoxicum, translates to Fly Poison, a common name for this plant. Photographed June 2008 in Linville Gorge Wilderness, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina by Jay Yourch.
