Beware of some DEADLIEST Flowers

 

Flowers are some of nature’s most wonderful creations.  Mostly come with amazing looks and ability to emit very pleasing scents, they are often used for decoration and romantic gestures.

(Black cat flower (Tacca chantrieri) this unusual plant is one of the only plants in the world to have black flowers. The big flowers (up to 12 inches across) have even longer “whiskers”, giving it its colloquial name. It is native to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia.)

It is also a common habit for people to pluck flowers and smell instantly. Beautiful flowers like the  Japanese camellia (see below), can even make a nice cup of tea.

However not all flowers are the same and unless you are familiar with the species, the stake can be high in some instances. Harmless as they may appear, some flowers can be really dangerous. Cases of significant poisoning involves making tea out of flowers have been recorded.  Chewing on the leaves or seeds can pose big danger too. Plant toxicity is usually due to a wide diversity of chemical toxins that include anticholinergic alkaloids, glycosides, proteins and amino acids.

To help you know what flowers to stay away from, study the list of the world’s most attractive but FATAL flowers -

 

Autumn crocus

 

This plant has the habit of producing leaves only in the spring which die back in the summer followed by the flower appearing on its own in the autumn.

 

Contains colchicine and colchiceine, the former being the more toxic and more harmful. After ingestion, initial gastrointestinal symptoms during the first 24 hours are followed by more severe effects including convulsions, cardiac and respiratory arrest, multi-organ failure and blood clots forming all around the body. If critical can lead to a slow, agonising death but consciousness remains to the end. 

Oleander

Oleander is a poisonous evergreen shrub or small tree identified by its fragrant white, red, pink or purple flowers and long slender, leathery leaves. It grows in mild climates or as an indoor plant.

Oleander poisoning occurs when someone sucks nectar from the flowers or chews its leaves. Poisoning can also happen if you eat honey made by bees that used the oleander plant for nectar.

 

Reputed to be the most poisonous plant on our planet, it has been traditionally used in suicidal cases by South Indians. The numerous toxic compounds contained in the whole plant, including oleadrin and nerine, affect the nervous, digestive and cardiovascular system simultaneously. Its sap causes skin irritation and severe eye inflammation whilst oleander poisoning leads to drowsiness, tremors, seizures, coma and death. 

 

Rhododendron

 

All parts of the plant contain the poison, and two or three leaves may produce severe toxicosis. Sucking flowers free of nectar may produce serious illness. In ancient times, odd behaviour was observed of a group of Greek soldiers after consuming honey from its flowers.

 

Belonging to the same plant family as Azaleas, both are poisonous containing Andromeda toxin which can cause nausea, intense pain, paralysis and even death.

 

Angels Trumpet

Do not be deceived by its name as it can be very evil.

The Angels' trumpet flower is often found in home gardens and is known for its distinct fragrance and elegant look. However, experts warned all parts of the plant are poisonous, with the seeds and leaves being especially dangerous.

The toxins it contains are a variable amount of tropane alkaloids such as atropine and scopolamine, proven to be fatal to both humans and animals.  Misuse as hallucinogen for recreational purposes, the risk of an overdose is extremely high. Effects of ingestion can include paralysis of muscles, confusion, diarrhea, migraine headaches and even death.

Another specie of the same family found mainly in northern Africa and the America, the plant is so dangerous and considered  illegal in some countries!

Columbine magpie (Aquilegia) are found in the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in meadows and woodlands. The flowers are reported to be very sweet but should be consumed in moderation. The seeds, however, are extremely poisonous.

Belladonna

The innocently looking Belladona wins its awful title "Deadly Nightshade" for containing potentially lethal tropane alkaloids in the entire plant and its succulent berries, posing most danger especially to kids.

 

Symptoms of poisoning are dilated pupils, blurred vision, headaches, hallucinations, delirium and convulsions. In the worst case, it can kill a person by disrupting the nervous systems ability to regulate breathing, sweating and heart rate.

Lily of the Valley 

Easily found in the Northern Hemisphere, it looks beautiful and harmless, but is entirely poisonous.

 

Taken in large quantities, the chemical compounds known as Glycosides in its flowers or berries can wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal, circulatory and nervous systems. For those with heart conditions they can experience slow or irregular heartbeats. However, these compounds have been used in medicine since the ancient Roman Empire to treat arrhythmia and congestive heart failure with the appropriate dosage.

 

Incidentally, this is the national flower of Finland, and also used as the floral emblem of Yugoslavia.  

Daphne

Also known as Lady Laurel or Paradise plant, Daphne is grown for its beautiful and intensely fragrant blooms which are usually produced in spring or winter. It can be found planted along paths and doorways or at the front of borders to easily enjoy the heady scent when in flower. 

All parts of the plant contain two poisonous toxins but the most concentrations are in the sap and berries. The victim can suffer stomachache, headache, diarrhoea, delirium and convulsion. Consuming the berries can lead to coma or even death.

Recommendations

+  Do not touch or eat any part of a plant with which you are not familiar. Wash your hands after working in the garden or walking in the woods. (Sure you want to do that after touching theTitan arum (Amorphophallus titanum)  - world’s largest flower, whose blossom emits a very unusual smell of rotting flesh to attract flies, rather than bees, for pollination.)

+  Seek immediate medical help once suspect of plant poisoning. Do not make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a healthcare professional.

The healthcare provider will measure and monitor vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate and blood pressure.  Appropriate treatment to administer include: charcoal/laxative, blood and urine tests, breathing support, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram/heart tracing, fluids through a vein, and pump out poison from stomach using a tube through the mouth.

The recovery rate depends on the amount of poison ingested and how soon treatment is initiated. Symptoms may last for 1-3 days and may require a hospital stay.

If you happened to be in Southeast Asia and Northwestern Australia, a traditional physician may use a vine flower Snake Gourd to treat you!

Those UNFORGETTABLE years.....

Sure you will shed your tears after reading this heart-warming story from an unknown source.

I cried for my brother six times......

(Sit back and enjoy the pictures taken by me on a recent visit to Marine Life Park, Resort World, Sentosa in Singapore. It hosts the word's largest aquarium combined with other attraction highlights - Maritime Experiential Museum, Typhoon theatre, Ocean gallery, Shipwreck habitat and Marine discoverer.)

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I was born in a secluded village of a mountain. Days by days my parents plowed the yellow dry soil with their backs facing the sky.

I have a younger brother, 3 years my junior. Once, to buy a handkerchief which all girls around me seemed to have, I stole 50 cents from my father's drawer. When he knew about it, my younger brother and I were made to kneel against the wall, with a bamboo stick in his hand.

Who stole the money?" he asked.

I was stunned, too afraid to talk. Dad did not hear any of us admit, so he said, "Fine, if nobody wants to admit, you two should be beaten!"

He lifted up the bamboo stick. Suddenly, my younger brother gripped father's hand and said," Dad, I was the one who did it!"

The long stick smacked on my brother's back repeatedly. Dad was so angry that he kept on whipping my brother until he lost his breath. After that, he sat down on our stone bed and scolded my brother, "You have learnt to steal from your own house now, what other embarrassing things you will do in the future?? You should be beaten to death!

"You a shameless thief!"

That night, mum and I hugged my brother. His body was full of injuries, but he did not shed a single tear. In the middle of the night, all of sudden I cried out loudly. He covered my mouth with his little hand and said: " Sis, now don't cry anymore. Everything has happened."

I still hate myself for not having enough courage to admit what I had done. Years gone by, but the incident still seemed like it had just happened yesterday. I will never forget my brother's expression when he protected me.

*****************************************************************

That year, my brother was 8 and I was 11. He was in his last year of his lower secondary school, and was accepted by an upper secondary school in the central. At the same time, I was accepted into a province's university. That night, father squatted in the yard, smoking, pack after pack. I could hear him say,

"Both our children have good results? very good results?"

Mother wiped off her tears and sighed," What is the use? How can we possibly finance both of them?"

At that time, my brother walked out, he stood in front of father and said, "Dad, I don't want to continue my study anymore, I have read enough books."

Father swung his hand and slapped brother on his face. "Why do you have a spirit so damn weak? Even if it means that I have to beg for money on the streets, I will send you two to school until you both finish your study!"

Subsequently, he started to knock on every house in the village to borrow money. I stuck out my hand as soft as I can to my brother's swollen face, and said, "A boy has to continue his study; If not, he will not be able to leave this depth of poverty."

I had decided not to further my study in the university. Who knows on the next day, before dawn, my brother left the house with a few pieces of worn-out clothes and a few dry beans. He sneaked to the side of my bed and left a note on my pillow;

"Sis, get into an university is not easy. I will go find a job and send money to you."

I held the note while sitting on my bed, and cried until I lost my voice.

*************************************************************************

That year, my brother was 17 and I was 20. With the money father borrowed from the whole village, and money my brother earned from carrying cement on his back at construction site, finally, I managed to get to the third year of my study in the university.

One day, I was studying in my room, when my roommate came in and told me, "There's a villager wait for you outside!"

Why was there a villager looking for me? I walked out, and saw my brother from afar, His whole body was dirty, covered by dust, cement and sands. I asked him, "Why don't you tell my roommate that you are my brother?"

He replied with a smile," Look at my appearance. What will they think if they know that I am your brother? Don't they laugh at you?"

I felt so touched, and tears filled my eyes. I swept away dusts from my brother's body and said with a lump in my throat, "I don't care of what people say! You are my brother no matter what your appearance is?"

From his pocket, he took out a butterfly hair clip.

He wore it on me, and said, "I saw all the girls in town are wearing it. So, I think you should also have one."

I could not hold back myself anymore. I pulled my brother into my arms and cried non-stop.

*****************************************************************

That year, my brother was 20 and I was 23. The first time I brought my boyfriend home, the broken window had been repaired and looked so clean inside the house. After, my boyfriend left my home, I danced like a small girl in front of my mother,

"Mom, you don't have to spend so much time cleaning the house!"

But she said with a smile," It was your brother who went home early to clean the house. Didn't you see the wound on his hand? He was injured while replacing the window."

I went into my brother's small bedroom. Looking at his thin face, I felt like there are lots of needle pricking my heart. I put some ointment on his wound and bandaged it, "Does it hurt?" I asked him.

"No, it doesn't hurt. You know, when I was working in the construction site, stones falling on my feet all the time. Even that could not stop me from working?"

In the middle of the sentence, he stopped. I turned my back on him and tears rolling down my face.

****************************************************************************

That year, my brother was 23 and I was 26. After I got married, I lived in the city. Very often, my husband invited my parents to stay with us, but they refused on the pretext that they were lost once out of their village. My brother also did not agree, he said, "Sis, you just taking care of your parents-in-law. I will take care of mum and dad here."

My husband became the director of his factory. We wanted my brother to get the job as the manager in the department of maintenance but he rejected the offer. He insisted on starting to work as a repair worker. One day, whilst on the top of a ladder repairing a cable, he got electrocuted and was sent to the hospital.

My husband and I visited him. Looked at the white gypsum on his leg, I grumbled, "Why did you reject to be a manager? Manager will not do something dangerous like this. Look at you now, such a serious injury. Why you didn't want to listen to us?"

With a serious expression on his face, he defended on his decision, "Think of brother-in-law? He just became the director, and I almost uneducated. If I became the manager, what kind of rumors will fly around?"

My husband's eyes filled up with tears, and then I said, "But your lack of education is due to me!"

"Why talking about the past?" My brother held my hand.

*******************************************************************************

That year, he was 26 and I was 29. My brother married a farm girl from the village. In his wedding reception, the master of ceremonies asked him, "Who is the one you respect and love the most?"

Without thinking, he answered," My sister." He continued by telling a story I could not even remember.

"When I was in primary school, the school was in different village. Everyday, my sister and I walked for 2 hours to go school and go home. One day, I lost one of my pair of gloves. My sister gave me one of hers. She only wore one glove and walked for so far. When we got home, her hand was so trembled because of the weather that was so cold that she could not even hold her chopsticks. From that day on, I swore that as long as I live, I would takecare of my sister and be good to her."

Applause filled up the room. All guests turned their attentions to me. Words were so hard to come out from my mouth,

"In my whole life, the one I would like to thank the most is my brother,"

During this happy occasion, in front of the crowd, tears rolled down my face again.

Love and care for the one you love every single day of your life. You may think that what you did is just a small deed, but to that someone, it means a lot.

Does this story tickle some sweet childhood memories on you?  The power of love enables people to make big sacrifices for their loved ones.

Have a similar story to share?

5 jokes 5 lessons

Some jokes are meant to be taken seriously....

A young executive was leaving the office at 6 p.m. to find the CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand.

"Listen," said the CEO, "this is a very sensitive and important document, and my secretary has left. Can you make this thing work?"

"Certainly," said the young executive.

He turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button.

"Excellent, excellent!" said the CEO as his paper disappeared inside the machine. "I just need one copy."

Lesson I - Never, never assume that your BOSS knows everything.

*********************************************************************

A crusty old man walks into a bank and says to the teller at the window:

"I want to open a damn checking account."

To which the astonished woman replies: "I beg your pardon, sir; I must have misunderstood you."

What did you say?" "Listen up bitch! I said, I want to open a damn checking account right now!"

"I'm very sorry sir, but we do not tolerate that kind of language in this bank."

Having said this, the teller leaves the window and goes over to the bank manager to tell him about her problem customer. They both return and the manager asks the old geezer: "What seems to be the problem here?"

"There's no damn problem, sonny," the elderly man says.

"I just won 50 million bucks in the damn lottery and I want to open a damn checking account in this damn bank!"

"I see," says the manager thoughtfully. And you're saying that this bitch here is giving you a hard time?"

Lesson II - If you are RICH, you can get away with almost anything!

**********************************************************

An American and a Japanese were sitting on the plane on the way to LA when the American turned to the Japanese and asked, "What kind of -ese are you?"

The Japanese confused, replied, "Sorry but I don't understand what you mean."

The American repeated, "What kind of -ese are you?"

Again, the Japanese was confused over the question. The American, now irritated, Then yelled, "What kind of -ese are you. Are you a Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese! etc......???"

The Japanese then replied, "Oh, I am a Japanese." A while later the Japanese turned to the American and asked What kind of 'key' was he.

The American, frustrated, yelled, "What do you mean what kind of -key' am I?!"

The Japanese said, "Are you a Yankee, donkee or monkee?"

Lesson III - Never insult anyone.

****************************

There were these 4 guys, a Russian, a German, an American and a French, who found this small genie bottle. When they rubbed the bottle, a genie appeared.

Thankful that the 4 guys had released him out of the bottle, he said, "Next to you all are 4 swimming pools, I will give each of you a wish. When you run towards the pool and jump, you shout what you want the pool of water to become, then your wish will come true."

The French wanted to start. He ran towards the pool, jumped and shouted "WINE". The pool immediately changed into a pool of wine. The Frenchman was so happy swimming and drinking from the pool.

Next is the Russian's turn, he did the same and shouted, "VODKA" and immersed himself into a pool of vodka.

The German was next and he jumped and shouted, "BEER". He was so contented with his beer pool.

The last is the American. He was running towards the pool when suddenly he steps on a banana peel. He slipped towards the pool and shouted, "SHIT!!!!!!!........."

Lesson IV - Think twice before you say something, because sometimes accidents do happen.

***************************************

A Chinese walks into a bar in America late one night and he saw Steven Spielberg. As he was a great fan of his movies, he rushes over to him, and asks for his autograph. Instead, Spielberg gives him a slap and says,

“You Chinese people bombed our Pearl Habour, get outta here.”

The astonished Chinese man replied, “It was not the Chinese who bombed your Pearl Harbour, it was the Japanese.”

“Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, you’re all the same,” replied Spielberg.

In return, the Chinese gives Spielberg a slap and says,

“You sank the Titanic, my forefathers were on that ship.”

Shocked, Spielberg replies, “It was the iceberg that sank the ship, not me.”

The Chinese replies, “Iceberg, Spielberg, Carlsberg, you’re all the same.”

This particular joke won an award for the best joke in a competition organized in Britain and this joke was sent by an Indian!

Lesson V - Do not be fooled to assume all lookalikes are the same.

No hard feelings (jokes)

 

 Nice old jokes.....

Joke # 1

75 year old man got married to a 15 year girl. On their first night both were crying - why???

She did not know anything, and he had forgotten everything!

Joke # 2

A kid asked the priest "Father, what is your pastime?"

The priest tapped the kid's shoulder and replied: "Nun (none), my child, nun."

Joke # 3

Boy 1: Why did you run away from the naked lady?

Boy 2: Because my mom said that if I look at a naked lady I will turn to stone and a part of me was
already getting hard!!

Joke #4

Q: What was the cause of the break up between Prince Charles and Lady D?

A: Lady D discovered that not all rulers have 12 inches.

Joke # 5

OLD MAN: Can you give me an erection?

FAITH HEALER: I can make the blind see, make the lame walk and I can even cure cancer, but I'm sorry I cannot raise the dead.

Joke # 6

2 employees were caught naked and having sex in the office by the guard.

GUARD: Aha! Violating company rules!

MAN: What rule?

GUARD: Not wearing uniforms.


Joke # 7

Q: What is the difference between Biology and Sociology?

A: If the baby looks like the father, that is biology. If he looks like the neighbor, that's sociology.

Joke # 8

Old lady, 85, a virgin, about to die. wanted her tombstone to read:

BORN A VIRGIN, LIVED A VIRGIN, DIED A VIRGIN.

The engraver shortened it to: "RETURNED UNOPENED"

Joke # 9

At the movie house.

GIRL: Honey, the man beside me is masturbating.

BF: Just ignore him dear.

GIRL: I can't. He's using my hand!!

Joke # 10

Q: Why was the 2 piece bikini invented?

A: To separate the meat section from the dairy section.

Joke #11
An Arab was being interviewed at a US checkpoint.

Your name pls.

“Abdul Aziz ”

“Sex? ”

“Six times a week!! ”

“No, no, I mean male or female! ”

“Doesn’t matter, sometimes even camel!”


Joke # 12

Behind every successful woman, there is a satisfied man.

But behind a satisfied woman, there is an exhausted man.

 

Joke # 13

A camel and an elephant met.

The elephant asked the camel "Why do you have your breasts on your back?"

The camel clearly irritated by the outrage of modesty replies, "What a silly question from someone who has a dick on his face."

Joke # 14

Sex is like a restaurant.

Sometimes you get full satisfactory service, and sometimes you have to be satisfied with self-service"

Joke # 15

Teacher: What do you want to become?

Little Johnny: Doctor !!

Teacher: Why?

Little Johnny: Coz its the only profession where you can tell a woman to take off her clothes and ask her husband to pay for it!

Joke # 16

Q: Define Impotence?

A: It's nature's way of saying "NO HARD FEELINGS".