Wicked Plants Read Online Free Page A

berries it produces in fall would be impossible to forget.
    FAMILY :
Rhamnaceae
    HABITAT :
Dry southwestern desert
    NATIVE TO :
American West
    COMMON NAMES :
Tullidora, cimmaron, palo negrito, capulincillo
    Coyotillo berries contain a compound that causes paralysis—but not immediately. The unlucky subject may not realize that he or she has been poisoned for several days or even weeks. But then, the paralysis sets in—and if this were a murder mystery, it would happen just as the unlucky victim was driving through a dark mountain pass or trying to sneak past the jewelry store’s security alarm. What author could invent a more devious drug?
    Animals have been known to lose control over their hind legs, or to lurch backward for no reason they could understand, under the influence of this harmless-looking berry. In the laboratory, administering just the right dose to animals would cause quadriplegia. Livestock browsing freely on the shrub could eventually lose control of their limbs entirely, and death would not be far behind.
    Coyotillo goes to work on the feet first and then moves to the lower legs. Once the limbs are still, it brings the respiratory system to a halt, and then it silences the tongue and throat. The plant thrives along the border between Texas and Mexico. Ironically, the name
coyotillo
is the diminutive of the Spanish word
coyote
, given to a person who helps illegal immigrants make the dangerous border crossing into the United States. One study counted about fifty people in Mexico who died from eating the berries during a two-year period.
    Once the limbs are still, coyotillo brings the respiratory system to a halt, and then it silences the tongue and throat.
    Coyotillo thrives in the canyons and dry riverbeds of southern Texas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico, where it can tolerate the mean heat and scorched earth. Give it the right conditions and it may reach twenty feet, the size of a small tree.
    Meet the Relatives    Coyotillo is a member of the buckthorn family; many shrubs in this family play host to butterflies. Most produce berries, but they don’t pose the same threat.

DANGEROUS

THIS HOUSEPLANT COULD BE YOUR LAST
    Some of the most popular houseplants are surprisingly toxic. They were chosen not for their suitability as a snack for pets and small children, but for their ability to thrive in a year-round climate of 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s why many houseplants are actually tropical plants that come from the jungles of South America and Africa.

    The poinsettia, one of the most reviled indoor plants, is not nearly as toxic as its reputation would lead one to believe. As a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, the sap is mildly irritating, but that is the extent of it. While the poinsettia gets plenty of bad press around the holidays, many other houseplants escape notice in spite of their more toxic qualities.

PEACE LILY
Spathiphyllum
spp.
    A South American plant with simple white flowers that resemble calla lilies. In 2005 more people called poison control centers about possible peace lily poisoning than any other plant. (This may have more to do with how popular the plant is than how poisonous it is.) The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals that can bring on skin irritation, burning of the mouth, difficulty swallowing, and nausea.

ENGLISH IVY
Hedera helix
    This ubiquitous European vine grows outdoors as a ground cover but is also one of the most popular indoor potted plants. The berries are bitter enough to discourage people from eating them, but they could cause severe gastrointestinal problems and possible delirium or respiratory problems. Sap from the leaves can cause serious skin irritation and blisters.

PHILODENDRON
Philodendron
spp.
    An ivylike plant native to South America in the West Indies. All parts of the plant contain calcium oxalates. Nibbling on a leaf might only bring about mild burning in the mouth or a little nausea, but ingesting it could lead to severe