A British man has grown the ‘world’s most dangerous plant’ in his home, despite the fact it has a sting so bad it can not only lead to months of pain, but also suicide.
While Daniel Emlyn-Jones, 49, admits he doesn’t want to be seen as a ‘loon’, he says he is growing the gympie-gympie plant ‘very safely’.
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He has made sure it’s kept out of harm’s way inside a cage marked with a ‘danger’ sign, which warns: "Skin contact with leaves or stems, even slight, will lead to agonising pain."
It also advises on a possible 'treatment', adding: "In the event of stinging do not rub. Apply 3 percent hydrocholoric acid for 30 minutes followed by hair removal using wax strips."
The nettle-like shrub, which is also known as Dendrocnide moroides or the ‘Australian stinging tree’, is said to be capable of delivering a sting that feels like ‘being burnt with hot acid and electrocuted at the same time’, which should help give some idea of just how painful it can be.
Emlyn-Jones said he wants to promote an interest in plants by cultivating unique fauna, even if this includes the gympie-gympie, which is known as the world’s most venomous plant.
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The online tutor from Oxford said: “I don't want to come over as a loon. I'm doing it very safely.
“Some botanic gardens have these plants as interesting specimens.''
The plant, which can be found in rainforest areas of Australia and Malesia, is in the nettle family Urticaceae.
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It was first discovered in its native Australia when a road surveyor’s horse was stung in 1866 – the animal going mad before dying ‘within two hours’.
If touched for even a second, the plant’s tiny hair-like needles send a burning sensation through the victim, with the pain intensifying over the next 20 to 30 minutes before continuing for up to weeks or months.
People have also reported being sent into sneezing fits, developing allergies, experiencing huge red rashes and having their limbs swell up.
While not always necessary, some cases have ended with hospitalisation due to their severity.
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This ongoing agony also leaves some patients unable to even sleep, and in some cases leads to suicide.
Australian WWII soldier Cyril Bromley recalled how he fell into the nettles while training, with the ordeal sending him into madness after weeks of agony and ineffective treatments.
Another person reportedly shot himself dead after accidentally using the painful nettle as toilet paper.
Featured Image Credit: SWNSTopics: UK News