The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-28
THREE CURIOUS PLANTS.

The Cannibal Tree. Grapple Plant
and Vegetable Python.
Three of the most dangerous of vege-
tative plants in the world are the "can-
uibal tree" of Australia, the death
or ''grapple plant" of South Africa, and
the vegetable python" of New Zealand.
The "cannibal tree" grows up in the
shape of huge pineapple, and attains
a height of II feet. 1t has a series of
broad, board-like leaves. growing in a
fringe at the apex, which forcibly
brings to mind a gigantic Central
American agave; and these board-ike
leaves, from ten to twelve feet in the
smaller specimens, and from Is to 20
feet in the larger, hang to the ground
and are easily strong enough to bear the
weight of man of 14O pounds or more.
In the ancient times this tree was woH-
SHIPPED by the native savages under the
name of the devil tree" part of the
interesting ceremony being the sacrifice
of one of their number to its all too
ready embrace. The victim to be sacri-
feed was driven up the leaves of the
tree TO the apex. and the instant the
so-called "pistils" of the monster were
touched the leaves would fly together
like trap, crushing the life out of the
intruder. In this way the tree would
hold its victim. sapping its vitality AID
life, until every particle of flesh would
disappear from his bones.
The "grapple plant is PROSTATE
herb growing in South Africa It's
lowers are purple and shaped like the
English foxglove. Its fruit has for
midable hooks, which, by clinging to
any passer-by, is conveyed to situa-
tons where its seed may find suitable
conditions for growth. Sir John Lub-
book says it has been known to kill
lions.
The vegetable python" which Is
known to the naturalist as the clusia CT
Ag, is the stranger of trees. The seeds
of the clusia being provided with a pulp
and very pleasant to the tropical birds
which feed thereon. are carried from
tree to tree and deposited on the
branches. Here termination begins.
The leafy stem slowly rises upward,
while the roots flow, as it were. down
the trunk until the soil is reached. Here
md there they branch, changing their
course according to the direction of
any instructions met with. Meanwhile
fl ,m these rootlets leafy branches have
been developed, which, pushing them
selves through the canopy above, get
into the light. and enormously accele-
rate their growth. Now a metamor-
phos;s takes place! For the hitherto
soft aerial roots begin to harden and
spread wider and wider, throwing out
side branches which flow into and ANAL
gamate with each other until the whole
tree trunk is bound in a series of ir-
regular living hoops. From this time
On it is struggle Of life and death be-
tween the forest giant and the entwin-
ing clusia- Like an athlete the tree
.ries to expand and burst its letters,
causing the bark to bulge between every ;
but success and freedom
Ire not for the captive tree, for the
clrsia has made its bands very
numerous AID wide. Not allowed ex-
the tree soon withers and dies, |
md the stranger is soon expanded into |
! great bush, almost as large as the |
mass Of branches and foliage it has |
.ffaced. It is truly tragedy in the |
world of vegetation.-Los Angeles Her.