Coyotillo

Coyotillo (Karwinskia humboldtiana) is an evergreen shrub or small tree found in northern Mexico, the southwestern United States, Central America, Colombia, and the Caribbean.

K. humboldtiana produces small, green flowers in the summer through the fall. Following bloom, fruits develop which are small dark red to black drupe. The seeds from the fruit and leaves contain poisonous anthracenone compounds which produce segmental demyelination of peripheral nerves following ingestion. Cases of poisoning have occurred in cattle, sheep, goat, pigs and fowl.