The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-07-26
a BLOOD SUCKING PLANT.
a Peculiarly Deadly Vine That Grous 1,
the Woods of Nicaragua.

a Peculiarly Deadly Vine That Grous In
the Woods of Nicaragua.
Leroy Dunstan, well known natllr
alist 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 II singular growth
In one of the swamps which surround
the great lake of Nicaragua lie was
engaged in hunting for botanical and
chronological speclmensin this swamp,
which is known rs San Sebastian's,
when he heard his dog cry out rs if in
agony, from a distance. Running to
the spot from which the aniamal's cries
came, Mr.. Dunstan found him envcl-
oped in IL perfect network of what
seemed to be fine rope like tissue of
roots or flbers, the nature of which was
unknown to him.
The plant or vine seemed composed
entirely of bare, intcrlacing stems, re-
sembling more than anything else the
branches of weeping willow denuded
Of all foliage, but of a dark, nearly
black hue, and covered with thick,
viscid gum that exuded from the pores.
Drawing his knife, Mr.. Dunstan en-
deavored to cut the animal free, but it
was only with the greatest difficulty
that ne succeeded in severing tho ileshy,
muscular fiber. To his horror and
amazement the naturalist then saw that
the dogs body was covered with blood,
while his hairless skin appeared to have
been actually sucked or puckered in
spots and the animal staggered as II
from weakness and exhaustion
In cutting the vine the twigs curled
like living, sinuons fingers about Mr..
Dunstan's hand, and it required no
eight force to free the members from
It's ciinging clasp, which left tho flesh
red and blistered. Tie gum exuding
from the vine was of dark grayish
tinge, remarkably adhesive and of a
disaglVeablc animal odor very power
iul and nauseating to inhale.
The native servants who accompu
MED Mr.. Dunstan manifested the great
est horror of the vine, which they call
10 saScnas de diable-the devil's Seine,
or snnre-and were full of stories of its
death dealing powers. One OF these
stories was of an Englishman residing
In Managua, who, while hunting in the
swamp few years before lay down
beneath tree where large and pow
erful specimen of this singular plant
was growing, and, inadvertently falling
asleep, awoke to find himself enveloped
In It's web, and, in spite Of every effort
made to extricate him, persisted in its
deadly embrace.
Another story was of an escaped con
Wet, who had hidden in the swamp
and whose bones had been found in the
folds of the sagcnas only short time
before Mr.. Dunstans visit These stor
les, remarkable us they may seem, ap
firmly believed in by the people, but
the only three specimens which Mr..
Dunstan was able 10 find were all
small ones, though the meshes Of the
largest would probably, if extended in
a straight line, measure nearly, if no'
quite, 100 feet.
He was able 20 discover very little
about the nature of the plant, owing to
tho difficulty of handling it, for its
grasp can only be torn away with loss
of skin. and even of flesh; but as neal
as Mr.. Dunstan could ascertain, its
power Of suction is contained in n mum
Der OF infnitesiInal mouths or little
suckers. which, ordinarily closed, open
for the recepti"s OF food-Brank Les
ie's Monthly.