QUEENSLAND STINGING TREE	FM: URTICACEAE
Dendrocnide moroides
A cornillon inhabitant of disturbed rainforest the stinging free, Dendrocnide moroides is one of the mort feared plants in Queensland. The attractive heart shaped, serrated leaves, are coated with long, barbed, holloss hairs NNhich contais a virulent nerve poison.
SYMPTOMS: Contact with the leaves can result in an intense stabbing pain that starts to reduce in intensity after ten minutes (though fess victims will believe it at the time). Pain may also be felt in the chest, chin, forehead and opposite limb. The affected areas may remain sensitive for a long time and be particularl:s sensitive when contact is made with cold water. Symptoms may persist for several months or longer.
TREATMENTS: There are no authenticated treatments that are truly effective.  Undischarged hairs can sometimes be removed by applying sticking plaster or plastic spray bandage to the affected ares and then removing it. Aboriginals sometimes coated the affected areas with the sticky sap of the cunjevoi, which after drying was peeled off removing the surplus hairs in the sanie manner as modern spray bandages.
Reactions to the poison varies in individuals, some persons however suffer extreme pain, welling and itching and may have to be hospitalised. Anti-histamines sometimes afford
-ome relief.
This plant should alevays be avoided and treated with the respect it deserves.