Biting Jungle Flowers

  In Texas, and the desert southwest the claim is that everything either pricks, bites or stings. At this point I would describe the jungles of Guyana the same way. Ants that can shred the leaves of a mango tree in one night and sting like wasps. Trees with spikes like a saguaro cactus skewer anything that passes. Snakes that carry enough poison to take down King Kong.
   These pretty blooms are held up with vine like stalks that are lined with sharp little teeth that rip flesh better than a serrated kitchen knife. Bloody forearms were found rather amusing by our guide Toby who was marching thru all this thicket in a pair of adidas shower slippers. Just not that tough unless you live in the jungle.

Deceptively pretty thicket.

Results of trying to pass the flowers.