A CARNIVOROUS PLANT

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 6, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 18.

A CARNIVOROUS PLANT.

A NATURALIST who has carefully studied the flora and fauna of Central America, found a singular growth in one of the swamps which surround the great Lake of Nicaragua. He was engaged in hunting botanical and entomological specimens in this swamp, which is known as San Sebastian's, when he heard his dog cry out, as if in agony, from a distance. Running to the spot from which the animal's cries came, he found him enveloped in a network of rope wire tissues and fibers, from which he had difficulty in setting the dog free.

When released, Carlo's hairless skin appeared to have been actually sucked or puckered in spots, and he staggered as if from weakness and exhaustion. In cutting the vines, the twigs curled like living, sinuous fingers about the naturalist's hand, and it required no slight force to free the member from their clinging grasp, which left the flesh red and blistered. The gum exuding from the vine was of a grayish dark tinge, remarkably adhesive, and of a disagreeable animal odor, very powerful and nauseating to inhale. Inquiry elicited the information that the natives have a great horror of this vine, which is called the devil's vine.

A story told of its death-dealing powers was that of an Englishman residing in Managua, who, while hunting in the swamp a few years ago, lay down beneath a tree where a large and powerful specimen of this singular plant was growing, and, inadvertently falling asleep, woke to find himself enveloped in its web, and, in spite of every effort made to extricate him, he perished in its deadly embrace. An escaped convict perished in a similar manner. It is almost impossible to handle even small specimens of this plant, for its grasp can only be torn away with loss of skin and even flesh. Its power of suction is contained in a number of infinitesimal mouths, or little suckers, which, ordinarily closed, open for the reception of food. The gum exuded seems to serve the twofold purpose of increasing its tenacity and of overcoming a victim by its sickening odor.

The plant is found only in low, wet places, and usually beneath a large tree, and, while dormant, seems only a network of dry, dead vines, covering the black earth for several feet; but coming into contact with anything, it will instantly begin to twist and twine upward in a horrible, lifelike manner, breaking out with a gumlike substance that we spoke of before, and enwrapping the object with a celerity that is almost incredible. If the substance is animal, the blood is drawn off, and the carcass or refuse then dropped.

A lump of raw meat being thrown it, in the short time of five minutes, the blood will be thoroughly drunk off, and the mass thrown aside. Its voracity is almost beyond belief, it devouring at one time over ten pounds of meat, though it may be deprived of all food for weeks without any apparent loss of vitality.—Irish Times.