Conium maculatum 399 BC, and his trial resulted in a death sentence. Although Socrates could have avoided death, he decided to take a potent infusion of the hemlock plant. Plato described Socrates' death in the "Phaedo": Although many have questioned whether this is a factual account, it is the perspective of Bloch that careful attention to Plato's words, modern and ancient medicine and other ancient Greek sources point to this account being consistent with "Conium" poisoning. Conium maculatum Conium maculatum, the hemlock or poison hemlock, is a highly poisonous biennial herbaceous flowering plant in the carrot family Apiaceae, native to Europe and
Beta (plant) with the highest economical value in the order Caryophyllales. Therefore, the members of "Beta" and the related genus "Patellifolia" are interesting as Crop wild relatives. Beta (plant) Beta is a genus in the flowering plant family Amaranthaceae. The best known member is the common beet, "Beta vulgaris", but several other species are recognised. Almost all have common names containing the word "beet". Wild "Beta" species can be found throughout the Atlantic coast of Europe, the Mediterranean coastline, the Near East, and parts of Asia including India. This genus consists of annual, biennial, or perennial species, often with fleshy, thickened roots.