Abundant in Australia and Indonesia, the golden bark tree has heart-shaped green leaves and pink-purple fruits, which looks harmless to humans and animals, but is actually recognized as one of the most poisonous trees in the world.
How poisonous are the golden bark trees?
The deadly damage of the goldenbark tree was first recorded in 1866, when the pack horse of McMillan, a road surveyor in Northern Queensland, went crazy after touching the goldenbark tree and died of exhaustion 2 hours later.
In 1941, a soldier named Cyril accidentally slipped on a goldbark tree near the Barron River, convulsing and in excruciating pain, and doctors had to tie him to bed for 3 weeks. Another officer was even more unfortunate, he went to the toilet and wiped his ass with a golden leaf, and he was in pain and difficult to speak, and finally shot himself to find relief. This is also the origin of the golden bark tree called the suicide tree.
Roadside warning signs about the golden bark tree
Poisoned people will feel a burning sensation like a bone, followed by difficulty breathing, painful joints, and swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpits. If the treatment is not timely, the poisoned person will have anaphylactic shock and even die. And the difficulty of treatment is very large. Entomologist Marina Hurley was caught off guard while doing her research, saying: "It felt like life was worse than death, like being poured with sulfuric acid and being subjected to an electric shock at the same time. ”
The golden bark tree even aroused the interest of the British military, which in 1968 wanted to use the golden bark tree to develop biological and chemical weapons, but the results are unknown.
Source of toxicity of golden bark trees.
The golden bark tree is no more than 2 meters tall, except for the roots, its stems, leaves, and fruits are covered with small hairy bodies, commonly known as small burrs. In the event of a collision, small burrs separate from the end of the ball and the tip pierces into the skin, releasing toxins.
The small burrs are very penetrating and can be caught on slight contact with the golden bark tree. The burrs are small and dense, and it is difficult to clean up after being hit.
Small burrs are mainly composed of silica, the human body can not decompose, can be stored in the body for a long time, the remaining small burrs are squeezed, will continue to release toxins. This results in the continued suffering of the poisoned person, who may recur years later, even if they survive.
The golden bark tree also has a characteristic that does not talk about martial virtue, that is, even if you do not touch it, staying nearby may be poisoned. Small burrs flutter with the wind and exist on the nearby ground and in the air, as if forming a protective boundary around the golden bark tree. The toxins of the goldenbark tree are stable and have been preserved for decades without losing their toxicity.
Therefore, rangers and researchers will wrap themselves tightly when entering and leaving the woods with golden bark trees, carrying thick gloves, gas masks, and antihistamines.
In toxin studies of the golden bark tree, it has been found to contain the analgesic substances moloidine and golden peptides, the latter of which is particularly painful. Goldpitides can affect the ion channels in nerve cells that control nerve cells, allowing the pain sensation of the wound to be transmitted continuously. Scientists are studying this control mechanism, and perhaps a new anesthetic will be born in the future.
Nature is full of life, and although the golden bark tree is armed with the whole body, it still cannot avoid becoming a good meal for some of Australia's native animals. The leaves of the golden bark tree are rich in nutrients, the green ring-tailed possum and the swamp forest kangaroo like to nibble on, and some insects not only eat the leaves, but also build nests on the leaves. The heart-shaped leaves are full of holes. The berries of the golden bark tree are also a delicacy for birds. This berry has a dull taste and is not worth the risk of human consumption.
#金皮树 #