Botanic Garden - Blog Posts
Rant about Indian liquorice because I love poison.
Indian liquorice is also known as Abrus precatorius and is a plant from the Fabaceae family, making it's most famous relative beeeaaannnzzz. It used to only exist in India but every tropical country has loads of this shit now.
The seeds, roots, bark and leaves contain a very Funny Substance™ that's one of the strongest poisons in the world.
Now let's say that hypothetically this liquorice got into the food of a person you coincidentally don't like. If the seeds are whole, nothing will happen, so you need to cut them up WHO SAID THAT. They also lose their toxic traits when you cook them, just like my ex.
After a few hours/up to two days your friend will get severe gastroenteritis, you know, vomiting, diarrhea, period cramps. Side effects often include a series of severe symptoms that transform the eyes into a shadow of their old selves. Oh and hair loss. I mean men are balding at 26 nowadays so it's not like people are gonna notice.
The most important aspect of the Funny Substance™ is the fact that it makes blood clot, and we all know what that does.
Two whole seeds are enough to cause severe poisoning in American adults.
While these little guys only grow in tropical regions, they're sometimes made into necklaces and sold, or placed in rosaries and dry arrangements.
Just saying.
Spent some time in Singapore recently and these were some highlights!!
Un lugar mágico entre los límites de Puebla y Oaxaca, donde los cactus parecen hablarte todo lo que han vivido mientras los admiras...
Para conocerlas hay que recorrerlas
Es indispensable no sentir temor
Es recomendable no guardar rencor.
Para enamorarlas nada de alagarlas
Solo es necesario desobedecer
Y a otros compromisos desobedecer.
Para someterlas solo acariciarlas
Toca sus espinas si las imaginas
Es mucho mejor.
Todos los que amamos a las suculentas
Nos acaloramos y ellas tan contentas
No nos necesitan ni pa' los mandados
No prueban bocado,
Lo soportan todo con resignación.
La doctora Bravo sabe ser amiga
De los candelabros, y de los teteches
órganos gigantes, reinas de la noche
Nopal de lengüita, pitayo de mayo
Que flor tan bonita, creo que me desmayo.
Descubrió la chende que lleva su nombre
Planta arborescente de rama abundante
Tronco definido, leñoso grisáceo
Siete, ocho costillas de arista ondulante
Espinas tortuosas, aureolas distantes
Sus flores son diurnas y son perfumadas
En el perinato son oblanceoleadas
Su fruto globoso, semilla encorvada
Con sus puntuaciones y reticuladas.
La doctora Bravo, Delia Bravoa Chende
Todas las cactáceas y las suculentas gozan de su amor
Larrea Tridentada o gobernadora que de los peyotes es la protectora
La rotundifollia y la mammylaris, pseudocoriphantas
Los echinocactus y las jacamatracas
La doctora Bravo, bravo, bravo, bravo, bravo, bravo!
Supo conocerlas, supo alimentarlas
Y las suculentas como recompensa le dieron
El jugo que guarda el secreto de la juventud.
