The first plant profile for this changing display will be the Stinging Tree (Dendrocnide moroides). This is the plant that causes most harm to people in the Kuranda area. The information below comes from John Beasley's book 'Plants of Tropical North Queensland - The Compact Guide'.

The Stinging Tree (Gympi Gympi)

While the forests of North Queensland are generally safe to explore, the Stinging Tree can inflict severe pain, and should be avoided. The fine silica hairs on leaves and stems act like small syringes, and continue to inject venom for several days. Sudden cooling of the site, even several months later, can produce a tingling sensation. The immediate pain is severe, and can cause swelling of the lymph glands. Rubbing the site makes things worse, leaving the points of the broken-off hairs embedded in the skin. There is no really effective treatment. Applying ‘plastic skin’ and then pulling it off does remove some of the hairs; Aboriginal people used the sticky sap from the roots to do this.

Dendrocnide moroides is a shrub or small tree that grows in areas in rainforest where extra light can penetrate. This means it is often found on roadsides and in clearings, or where a tree has fallen. The large leaves are heart shaped, and covered with fine stinging hairs. The edges are serrated, as though cut with pinking shears. The leaves sit horizontally (Right) on long stalks which may be pink or reddish in colour and are attached towards the centre of the leaf. The raspberry like fruits hang in clusters on the stem (Below). They make a pleasant jam - if you are brave enough to pick and prepare them, removing all the hairy stems.

Stinging Tree is found in rainforest from northern NSW to Iron Range in Cape York, extending north to Malaysia. It might be confused with Wild Raspberry, a thorny vine with lobed leaves, or Bleeding Heart, a tree with shiny heart shaped leaves. Look out for the large, hairy, heart-shaped leaves, with serrated edges, and avoid this dangerous plant.