KillerSeeds
AlongthebanksofanAfricanriver,spikyreddishflowerscastashortshadow.Theflowersholdshiny,purplish‑brownseeds.Theseedsareripe.Agentlewindblows,andsomeoftheseedstumbletotheground.Acuriousbirdwandersbylookingforameal.Thoughthecastorbeanseedssparklelikejewels,thebirdpassesthemby.Itknowstheseseedscan kill.
Castorbeansarethedeadlypartoftheworld’smostpoisonous plant.
CastorbeanplantscamefromtropicalAfrica,buttheynowaregrowningardensandhousesaroundtheworld.Theplantitselfisconsideredexoticandbeautifulforgardensandyards.Andyet,thecastorbeanplantholdstheGuinnessBookofWorldRecords’titleforworld’smostpoisonous plant.
Withintheseseedsisadeadlypoisoncalledricin.Scientistssayricinismorepoisonousthancyanide.It’smorepoisonousthanrattlesnakevenom.Asmallhandfulofseedscankilla person.
Thepoisonisthisplant’sadaptation.Itprotectstheseedsfrombeingeatenanddestroyedbeforetheycansproutandmakemoreplants.Forhumanstosafelyhandletheplants,theseedsmustbeheatedtoneutralizethe poison.
TheStingIsthe Thing
Inatropicalrain forestinAustralia,theregrowsatreewithheart‑shapedleaves.Eachleafofthegympie‑gympietreeiscoatedwithshimmeringfuzz.It’sbeautiful,butwatch out!
Thefuzzyouseeisactuallymadeupofhollow,needle‑likehairs.Eachisfilledwithatoxinpainfultopeople.Youonlyneedtolightlytouchtheplanttogetstung.Thehairspenetrateyourskinandbreakoff.They’resotinythatoftentheskinwillcloseoverthehairs,trapping them.
Nativeanimals,likethegreenpossum,canhappilyclimbintothesetreesandeveneattheirleavesandfruitswithnoilleffect.Humans,horses,anddogs,however,areanotherstory.Theycanexperienceacripplingpainafterbrushingagainstthe plant.
Whiletheplantcausesanimmediateburningsensation,itdoesn’tactuallyharmthebodyordolastingdamage.Butit’sbesttoimmediatelywashtheneedlesfromtheskintobepain free.
