Gympie Gympie The "Suicide Plant" Has the Most Painful Stingers in the World
Gympie- gympie is one of the most toxic type of stinging plants in Australia.
Gympie- gympie has a reputation as the most dangerous and most pain inducing tree. Its stinging hairs deliver a potent neurotoxin and severe sting from the tree can even be fatal to humans.
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Appearance
The whole body of the plant is covered with hairs made of silica and filled with venom.The plant has broad, heart shaped leaves that are toothed on the edges.
The plant produces small, white or purple - red flowers. Male and female flowers grow on the same plant. Bright pink or purple juicy fruits are located under terminal leaves. Fruit is edible, but only after the careful removal of the hairs.
How the Gympie-gympie stings
All you have to do is lightly touch the tree to feel the effect of the toxins which is one of the most persistent toxins known to man. If you do touch it the burning sensation may last up to twenty years. Initial pain is not very strong. Unfortunately,symptoms aggrevate quickly and result in pain that is often described as one of the worst that human being can experience in life.
Substance called moroidin,extracted from Gympie gympie, is responsible for long-lasting effects of the venom.
Even when the plant is dead it can sting and induce intoxication. The plant breaks off its stings easily when touched. Broken sting penetrates the skin and acts like a hypodermic needle which injects strong neurotoxin into the body.
What to do if you get stung by a Gympie-gympie.
If one is stung by this toxic plant the most important thing is not to rub the area as it could break the hairs and becomes difficult to eliminate hairs. It is recommended to apply dilute Hydrochloric acid followed by wax strips to remove stinging hairs. The plant produces a toxin, so painful that it has led to people and animals to commit suicide.
One researcher even discovered that the poison remains viable for up to 20 years. The excruciating pain has been described as being sprayed with hot acid and electrocuted at the same time and has even driven those affected to suicide.
There's no shortage of horror stories about the Gympie-gympie.
In one disturbing case a man actually shot himself because he couldn't take the pain after mistakenly using the leaf as toilet paper.
Antidote for Gympie- gympie venom doesn't exist.
It is a perennial plant, which means that it can survive more than two years in the wild.
