Safety - Plants

Stinging trees

Some rainforest plants should be admired from a distance. The Stinging tree (also called the Gympie-gympie) grows on the edges of tracks and clearings where sunlight has a chance to reach the forest floor. It has fine, poisonous hairs on its heart-shaped leaves and these hairs penetrate the skin - even when just lightly brushed. The sting can be excruciatingly painful and can cause illness and even hospitalisation.

Remedies don't seem to do much to ease the discomfort and it is advisable not to drive a vehicle if you have received a dose strong enough to give you a headache. Avoid rubbing the skin. You might try carefully but firmly applying tape or cold wax over the wound. When you pull the wax or tape off, you might be able to remove some of the stinging hairs and lessen the severity of the wound. Unfortunately there seems to be no consistent medical advice as to how to treat the affected area. What is agreed is that pain relief is/maybe essential to reduce the stress levels of the person affected.

Mushrooms and Fungi

Similar to the fruits above, many of the toadstools, mushrooms and other fungus types are highly poisonous and identification is difficult for all but trained mycologists. Do not eat any mushrooms you find, even if they look like the common field mushroom.

Rainforest Fruits

There are some rainforest fruits which are edible but unless you can identify them correctly (remember some fruits look alike but are actually different species), resist the temptation to try any of them.

That includes any fruits that you see being eaten by a bird or animal - some Wet Tropics animals (such as cassowaries) have evolved special digestive systems which allow them to consume toxic fruits.

Wait A While

This is a climbing palm species also known as Lawyer Vine and Calamus. It grows throughout the Wet Tropics and can cause problems to bushwalkers. Two parts of the plant are capable of causing discomfort: the main stem of the plant is covered with sharp bristles, and long, whip-like strands grow from the crown of the plant and hang down. These 'whips' are covered with small hooks and are often not noticed by bushwalkers until they walk into one. Clothing gets caught on them but the hooks will pierce your skin as well - try to avoid them and be especially careful of your face and neck. If you are caught, just stop moving and gently pull the whip away from you.

Tree Sap

Some plant sap can irritate the skin. Be careful not to pull foliage off plants or get sap on your skin.