Poisonous Plants - They can do more than harm

Poisonous plants are very abundant in the world. They can be found in almost every field, forest and even deserts all over the world. . Even though they might not be very harmful to us, they are still poisonous. In one estimate, botanists reported that 90% of all plants are poisonous during a stage of development or in some part of the plant.  You might be wondering: If so, then why do animals have such a wide range of plants to eat from? (Johnson) 

The answer is very simple: Animals have adapted to survive the small doses or poison, or they simply don't eat the parts that contain it. For example, both apple seeds and peach pits contain cyanide, which can be used to produce rat poison, but we don't eat this part of the fruit. Another example is the cashew (Nuez de la India): Toxic oils are removed from cashews before they are eaten. The poisonous oils that were removed from the plant can then be used to make brake fluid (This fluid is key in the process of hydraulic braking and hydraulic clutching in vehicles). (Johnson) 

Some poisonous plants have very beautiful but deadly flowers, which can be used as decoration. The poison produced by these flowers can be used to eradicate pests. As I mentioned in other blogs, the poison produced by plants can also be used to get food. Another use of poison is healing, but not like animal venom: In the plants' case, it's poison is used to cure common illnesses. For example: A plant that causes constipation can be used to cure diarrhea, and a poison that irritates the stomach diluted out might kill what is causing an upset stomach. (Johnson) 

That's all for this entry, have a great weekend! :)

Bibliography

Johnson, James. "Uses of poisonous plants." 05 May 2009. Helium. 21 October 2011 <http://www.helium.com/items/1439771-poisonous-plants-and-their-uses-the-value-of-plant-poisons>.