Dumb Cane

It's interesting to know how plants derive their names.
The dumb cane is grown for its showy foliage and is
popular in tropical gardens. But in its natural habi-
tat it lives on the forest floor of Central and South
America, where it is open to attack. For protection,
its leaves and stem are filled with razor- sharp
crystals of fast-acting poison.
If an animal tries to eat the leaves, the crystals
pierce the creature's mouth and the poison starts
to work. It inflames the inside of the mouth and
tongue, so that the animal finds it difficult to
breathe.
People, too, make the mistake of sampling the dumb
cane's leaves. The victim may be unable to speak
for several hours, hence the plant's name.