Beautiful - but deadly....

R.JayR.Jay Registered Users Posts: 974 Major grins
edited September 19, 2012 in Other Cool Shots
Hi, this colourful plant is called York Road Poison (Gastrolobium Calycinum). York is about 100kms east of Perth in Western Australia and was first settled in 1831. As the early settlers drove their livestock out to this new farming district, their animals would eat this plant and die. It contains a poison called 1080, native animals are not affected by the poison, only introduced animals. 1080 poison is now made synthetically and used to eradicate introduced feral animals such as foxes (see Western Shield).

7991766612_1eaf0ac5d9_h.jpg

Thanks for looking. C&C always appreciated.

Cheers, Richard

Comments

  • DogdotsDogdots Registered Users Posts: 8,795 Major grins
    edited September 16, 2012
    One would never think a beautiful flower could be so dangerous. You photographed the colors beautifully.
    Mary
    www.Dogdotsphotography.com
  • TomCollinsTomCollins Registered Users Posts: 62 Big grins
    edited September 16, 2012
    R.Jay wrote: »
    Hi, this colourful plant is called York Road Poison (Gastrolobium Calycinum). York is about 100kms east of Perth in Western Australia and was first settled in 1831. As the early settlers drove their livestock out to this new farming district, their animals would eat this plant and die. It contains a poison called 1080, native animals are not affected by the poison, only introduced animals. 1080 poison is now made synthetically and used to eradicate introduced feral animals such as foxes (see Western Shield).

    7991766612_1eaf0ac5d9_h.jpg

    Thanks for looking. C&C always appreciated.

    Cheers, Richard

    Wow! Thanks for the heads up on that. Do you have to eat it or will it cause problems just by touching it? Beautiful image.
    Tom C
    www.tomcollinsphotography.com
    “Art allows us to expand the dimensions of our everyday life.”
    ~Carlos Jurado
  • R.JayR.Jay Registered Users Posts: 974 Major grins
    edited September 18, 2012
    Dogdots wrote: »
    One would never think a beautiful flower could be so dangerous. You photographed the colors beautifully.

    Hi Mary, thank you for looking in and commenting - it's much appreciated. You will find more information on the Gastrolobium genus in Wiki.

    Cheers, Richard.
  • R.JayR.Jay Registered Users Posts: 974 Major grins
    edited September 18, 2012
    TomCollins wrote: »
    Wow! Thanks for the heads up on that. Do you have to eat it or will it cause problems just by touching it? Beautiful image.

    Hi Tom, you have to eat the plant to suffer the consequences. Fortunately/unfortunately the vast majority of the Gastrolobium genus can only be found in the SW of Western Australia.

    Cheers, Richard.
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,325 Major grins
    edited September 18, 2012
    Nice overall presentation, Richard. Interesting story too. I'm glad to see something coming from your way....been way too long.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • R.JayR.Jay Registered Users Posts: 974 Major grins
    edited September 19, 2012
    black mamba wrote: »
    Nice overall presentation, Richard. Interesting story too. I'm glad to see something coming from your way....been way too long.

    Tom

    Hi Tom, good to hear from you - glad you liked the shot. Same old story - very busy this time of year - not much opportunity to get the camera out - bit like my old school reports - must do better :D I have got a 'bug' shot in the macro section.

    Cheers for now, Richard
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