Subject: Poisonous plants

From: [email-masked] (adstone)
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 95 02:41:46 PST

Does anyone know of any plants which *actively* defend themselves or 
react to stimulus which would, to humans, cause pain?
  I would very much appreciate an example or two...

Adrian Stone
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Jeffrey Kirby)
Date: 11 Mar 1995 02:16:05 GMT

adstone ([email-masked]) wrote:
:   Does anyone know of any plants which *actively* defend themselves or 
: react to stimulus which would, to humans, cause pain?

Can you define actively in this situation? A lot of plants actively grow 
thorns and/or spines which then cause pain to humans that touch them. 
Chemical defenses can hurt too (a lot). If you are asking if they move 
for defense, there is Mimosa, commonly called sensitive plant, which 
folds its leaves to reveal thorns when it is touched. The bullhorn Acacia 
houses ants which actively jump (yes, apparently they jump out of the 
tree) onto animals that pass under it and bite them. Other plants also 
house ants, including several orchid species (Coryanthes species, some 
Gongora species, Schomburgkia species, etc.) and some other epiphytic 
plants. If you are looking for plants that move, like venus flytraps, I 
don't think there are any (other than the aforementioned Mimosa). 

-J

--
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Jeffrey A. Kirby -- Jester of Xanadu -- [email-masked]

I accept Brad as my superior in every way. Perhaps my mental and 
emotional state may someday improve so I may get closer to his vast 
mental prowess.