tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15895111.post3069356420846312267..comments2023-11-03T12:44:19.948+01:00Comments on Orwell's Picnic ~: Nature isn't niceHilary Jane Margaret Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771332473693479830noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15895111.post-7445036700655664462013-10-31T11:24:02.651+01:002013-10-31T11:24:02.651+01:00I have a Brugmansia in my garden. The flowers have...I have a Brugmansia in my garden. The flowers have a beautiful perfume. This plant belongs to the Solanaceae family which also includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, capsicums, other peppers of many kinds and cape gooseberries. Some poisonous members of this family, such as <br />Belladonna, provide an important medicinal ingredient, atropine. A propos, the common garden plant, the oleander, is also poisonous in all its parts.Marnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15895111.post-65824658333426209082013-10-20T06:37:14.665+02:002013-10-20T06:37:14.665+02:00Foolish people also use this plant in Europe, Nort...Foolish people also use this plant in Europe, North America, etc. I tried datura tea (made with a similar, relative of the plant described) once, in Tasmania, at a party attended by bad hippies and po-paced punks in the early 80's.<br /><br />I can still recall how doomy and threatening everything looked and felt as I walked to a bus-stop to get a ride home. Definitely not a plant to trifle with.Jeromenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15895111.post-8891989332038211592013-10-19T15:44:53.915+02:002013-10-19T15:44:53.915+02:00If this plant's blossoms are hanging from abov...If this plant's blossoms are hanging from above, they are called "angels' trumphets." If they are looking up from below, they are called "devils' trumphets."<br />Either way, their perfume at night is heavenlyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15895111.post-38841014394134556332013-10-19T15:23:00.424+02:002013-10-19T15:23:00.424+02:00I used to teach veterinary students. Often they h...I used to teach veterinary students. Often they have a sentimental view of animals. I would tell them about wolves in Canada that hunt bison. They can't kill a bison outright so they tire it out and when it can't get up start eating at the back end. No mercy in nature. <br /><br />VickieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15895111.post-70802585784846905272013-10-18T21:06:38.123+02:002013-10-18T21:06:38.123+02:00And since Nature (capital N) alone does not seem t...And since Nature (capital N) alone does not seem to suffice, enter (drum roll, please) <br /><br />HUMAN STUPIDITY: This plant here <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum <br /><br />was introduced in Western Europe mainly for ornamental reasons. Then, people found out that it makes for a very good bee pasture. Unfortunately it was also discovered to be poisonous as all get out ...<br /><br />ZwetschgenkrampusAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com