User:ENVY803

New Species: Philodendron

A recent discovery of tropane alkaloids has been found in the species Araceae which is also known as Philodendron. This species of plants is Native to Mexico where the levels of humidity are quite high. This particular plant is known to be dangerous. For years, scientists and botanists have been closely monitoring this species and have noticed that the plants that are more poisonous tend to have pink or yellow stems, depending on the P.H level of the soil. The level of potential hydrogen in liquids is important because it signifies how active the hydrogen ion is which affects how the plant grows. The soil, bacteria, and toxic elements are some things that would alter the color of the stem. High levels of tropane alkaloids have been known to be extremely dangerous to ingest. Those that have pink stems have tropane alkaloids that can cause symptoms such as loss of balance, hallucinations, and constipation. The poison blocks the calcium ion channels in the heart muscle causing disruption of the heartbeat which can lead to death in some extreme cases. There have been reports of yellow stem Philodendron causing premature ventricular contractions. Some symptoms reported include blurred vision, brain damage, convulsions, and heart attacks. Coming in close contact with the oils and fluids from these plants has been linked to kidney failure, seizures, and spasms in humans and animals including mice, cats, horses, and goats. Contact with this plant should be reported to the Poison control in your county immediately.