Giftblaar is an extremely poisonous shrub that grows on the highveld (open grassland) of South Africa. The name giftblaar means poisonous leaf. The giftblaar has narrow, oval leaves and clusters of small white flowers. Because it starts to grow early in the season, before the veld grasses sprout, it is sometimes eaten by cattle, which are then poisoned. The active poisonous ingredient is fluoroacetic acid. The leaves and seeds of related plants are used in some countries to poison pest animals such as wild pigs and rats.
