The fruit of Canada Moonseed are poisonous and can be fatal. The common name moonseed is also used for the closely related genus "Menispermum". The name, moonseed, comes from the shape of the seed, which resembles a crescent moon. Moonseed is a 1998 science fiction novel by British writer Stephen Baxter. The Cherokee used Moonseed as a laxative, and as a gynecological and venereal aid.