When people think about plants, they often think of the common trees, flowers, and bushes they see every day. Most don’t realize the world has tons of crazy foliage growing all over the place, some of which have the ability to kill any living thing that gets too close.
Who needs Triffids when we already have some otherworldly plants here on Earth?
Find here! 7 Terrifying plants want to kill you, if you are…..!
6Strychnos nux-vomica (Strychnine tree)
It should come as no surprise that the strychnine tree is poisonous. However, most may be surprised to learn just how toxic the strychnos nux-vomica is. It actually contains two poisons. The first, of course, is strychnine, which is used as a pesticide for taking care of rodents, birds, and nosy neighbors. This poison can be found in the fruit, which is easy enough to avoid. Just control yourself and don’t eat it.
The other poison, brucine, can be a bit more tricky. Found in the bark, most people succumb by consuming ceremonial drinks made from this tree, which is easily confused with the Alstonia scholaris, which is the tree that should be used, as it’s safe to consume.
This happens in India a bit, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Those who quench their thirst with brucine can expect to experience convulsions and renal failure, among a slew of other exciting symptoms. Strangely enough, the plant is used in alternative medicine to treat heart disease and cancer. Yet, there’s no science to support these uses.
