KillerSeeds
Spiky,reddishflowerssitalongthebanksofanAfricanriver.Agentlewindblowstheirripe,purplish‑brownseeds.Sometumbletothe ground.
Castorbeansarethedeadlypartoftheworld’smostpoisonous plant.
Ahungrybirdwandersby.Thecastorbeanseedssparkle.But,thebirdwillnoteattheseseeds.Itknowstheycan kill.
CastorbeanplantscamefromAfrica.Nowtheyaregrowningardensaroundtheworld.Theplantisbeautiful.But,itisfullof poison. A smallhandfulofseedscankillaperson.Yet,theplantneedsthispoison.Itprotectstheseedsfrombeingeatenby animals.
TheStingIsthe Thing
It’smorninginarainforestinAustralia.Sunlightshinesacrosssomeheart‑shapedleaves.Eachleafofthegympie‑gympietreeiscoveredwithsparkling fuzz.
Watchout!Thefuzzismadeupofneedle‑likehairs.Eachisfilledwithapainfulpoison.Touchtheplant,andyou’llgetstung.Thehairsenteryourskinandbreakoff.Theyare trapped.
Someanimalscaneattheseleaveswithnoeffect.But,humanscansufferaterriblepain.Theplantdoesn’tdolastingdamage.Still,it’sbesttowashtheneedlesfromtheskinright away.
