New Zealand nettle tree:Everyone knows ordinary nettles - tall grass, which burns when touched and loves to form dense thickets. The sensations of a man caught in such a nettle jungle can hardly be called pleasant, but nothing dangerous in this seems to be. Even useful. But this useful herb has a relative in far-away New Zealand, which is still superior to nettles in size and poisonous properties. The New Zealand nettle tree, or onaong, as its Maori calls it, grows to 5 meters in height and is completely covered with hollow spines containing histamine and formic acid. The first of these compounds causes the strongest reaction of the whole organism: blisters appear on the skin and redness. It is difficult to name the poison, but gets into the blood to shock and collapse. Formic acid is a very dangerous toxin, which, when it comes into contact with the skin, causes severe pain, and if there is more - tissue erosion and other serious consequences like blindness. So even the slightest touch to this tree is fraught with serious burns, and people sensitive to the components of the poison, there may be health problems. It is easy to imagine what will happen if you break into the thick of its leaves and branches.
The New Zealand nettle tree, or onaong, as its Maori calls it, grows to 5 meters in height and is completely covered with hollow spines containing histamine and formic acid. The first of these compounds causes the strongest reaction of the whole organism: blisters appear on the skin and redness. It is difficult to name the poison, but gets into the blood to shock and collapse.
Formic acid is a very dangerous toxin, which, when it comes into contact with the skin, causes severe pain, and if there is more - tissue erosion and other serious consequences like blindness. So even the slightest touch to this tree is fraught with serious burns, and people sensitive to the components of the poison, there may be health problems. It is easy to imagine what will happen if you break into the thick of its leaves and branches.