Have you ever heard of the Gympie-Gympie plant? It looks like any other green plant, but it has a dangerous secret. This plant, whose real name is Dendrocnide Moroides, can make people feel so much pain that they might think about hurting themselves. People say getting stung by this plant is like being burned by hot acid and shocked by electricity at the same time!
Where Does It Grow?
You can mostly find the Gympie-Gympie in rainforests in Australia, the Moluccas, and Indonesia. It has heart-shaped leaves and a bushy look, but don’t be fooled! If you touch it without protection, you could regret it.
What Makes It So Dangerous?
This plant has tiny hair-like needles all over it that are filled with a strong poison. When someone touches it, they feel a burning pain that just gets worse. According to Irina Vetter, a professor from the University of Queensland, the gympietides (the plant’s poison) act like spider and scorpion venom. This means it can trick your body into feeling pain for months, making it hard to sleep and focus.
How Does It Hurt?
The poison targets pain receptors in the body, similar to how spider venom works. This pain can last a long time and can be so intense that some people have lost hope and taken drastic actions.
Watch Out for Its Needles!
The Gympie-Gympie usually grows to about 3 meters tall, but it can reach up to 10 meters. All parts of the plant—stem, branches, leaves, and even fruits—are covered with stinging hairs that should never be touched. John Knox, a tour guide at the Poison Garden, warns that these tiny hairs stay in your skin for a long time—up to one year! If you touch the area later or get it wet, the poison can come back and hurt you even more.
Real-Life Scary Stories
In World War II, there was a soldier who went crazy after touching this plant. There was even a story about a man who shot himself because he couldn’t bear the pain from using the leaves as toilet paper by accident.
If you or someone you know is feeling sad or in pain, please talk to someone who can help!
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– Aasra: 022 2754 6669
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