The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-06
A BLOOD SUCKING PLANT.
Peculiarly Deadly Vine That Grows 1
thc Woods of Nicaragua

Peculiarly Deadly Vine That Grows In
the Woods OF Nicaragua.
LEROY Dunstan, a we'll known natur-
alst of New Orleans, who has re-
turned from Central America, where he
spent nearly two years in the study OF
the flora and fauna of the country, re-
lates The finding of singular growth
in one of the swamps which surround
the great lake of Nicaragua. He was
engaged IN hunting for botanical and
chronological specimens in this swamp
which is known as San Sebastian's,
when he heard his dog cry ont as if in
agony, from distance. Running to
the spot from which the aniamars cries
came, Mr.. Dunstan found him envel-
oped in perfect network of what
seemed to be fine, rope like tissue of
roots or flbcrs, the nature of which was
unknown to him.
The plant or vino seemed composed
entirely OF bare, interlacing stems, re-
sembling more than anything else the
branches of weeping willow dcnuded
Of all foliage, but of dark, nearly
black hue. and covered with thick,
viscid gum that exuded from the pores.
Drawing his knife, Mr.. Dunstan en-
Jeavored TO cut the animal free, but it
was only with the greatest difficulty
thar ne succeeded i'll severlng the tleshy,
muscular fiber. To his horror and
amazcment the naturalist then saw that
the dogs body was covered with blood,
while his hairless skin appeared to have
been actually sucked or puclsered in
spots, and the animal staggered as ii
from weakness and exhaustion.
In cutting the vine the twigs curled
like living, SIMMONS fingers about Mr..
Dunstans hand, and it required no
slight force TO free the members from
its ciinglng clasp, which left the flesh
red and blistered. The gum eIudinS
from the vine was of a dark grayish
tinge. remarkably adhesive and of o
disagreeable animal odor, very power
iul and nauseating TO inhale.
The native servants who accolnpa
MED Mr. Dunstan manifested the great.
est horror of the vine which they call
la sagenas dc diable-the devils seine,
or sllare-and were full of stories of its
death dealing powers. One OF these
stories Was Of an Englisllman residing
in 5!anasua. who. Willie hunting in the
Swamp a few years before, lay down
beneath a tree where Il large and pow
erful specimen of this singular plant
was growing, and, inadvertently falling
asleep, nwokc TO find himself enveloped
IN its web, and, in spite of every effort
made to extricate him, persisted in its
deadly embrace.
Another story was Of al escaped con
vict, who had hidden in the swamp
and whose bones had been found in the
folds Of the sagenas only short time
before Mr. Dunstans visit These stor
les. remarkable as they may seem, arr,
firmly believed in b. the oeoplc, bat
the only three specimens which Mr..
Dunstan was able to find were ali
small ones, though the meshes of the
largest would probably, if extended in
a straight line, measure nearly, if not
quite. 100 feet.
he was able 20 discover veW little
about the nature of the plant, owing to
the difficulty Of handling it, for its
grasp can only be torn away with loss
Of skin, and even of flesh; but as neaI
as Mr. Dunstan could ascertain, i'll
Eower Of suction is contained in anuIn
Der Of infnitesilnal mouths or little
suckers. which, ordinarily closed, open
FOR the recepti"s of food~Brank Les
Ge's Monthly.