KillerSeeds
AlongthebanksofanAfricanriver,spikyreddishflowersholdshiny,purplish‑brownseeds.Agentlewindblowstheripeseeds.Someofthemtumbletotheground.Ahungrybirdwandersby.Thoughthecastorbeanseedssparkle,thebirdpassesthem.Itknowstheseseedscan kill.
Castorbeansarethedeadlypartoftheworld’smostpoisonous plant.
CastorbeanplantscamefromtropicalAfrica.But,theynowaregrowningardensaroundtheworld.Theplantisexoticandbeautifulforgardens.Yet,thecastorbeanplantholdstherecordfortheworld’smostpoisonous plant.
Withintheseseedsisadeadlypoisoncalledricin.Asmallhandfulofseedscankillaperson.But,theplantneedsthispoison.Itprotectstheseedsfrombeingeaten.Forsafehandlingbyhumans,theseedsmustbeheatedtoneutralizethe poison.
TheStingIsthe Thing
It’smorninginatropicalrain forestinAustralia.Sunlightsparklesacrossagrowthofheart‑shapedleaves.Eachleafofthegympie‑gympietreeiscoatedwithshimmeringfuzz.It’sbeautiful,butwatch out!
Thefuzzismadeupofhollow,needle‑likehairs.Eachisfilledwithapainfulpoison.Youonlyneedtotouchtheplanttogetstung.Thehairsenteryourskinandbreakoff.Asyourskinclosesoverthem,ittrapsthe hairs.
Nativeanimals,likethegreenpossum,eattheleaveswithnoeffect.Humans,horses,anddogs,however,canexperienceacripplingpainafterasimplebrushagainsttheplant.Theplantcan’tsurvivewithouttheseneedle‑likehairs,however.Theydoalottoprotecttheplantfrombeingdisturbedbylarge animals.
