The Mexican snake-tree is a cryptid carnivorous plant reported from Mexico. Reported by French explorer Byron de Prorok, who saw it first-hand, it was described as an "enormous plant" which killed a small bird which landed on its thorny leaves by curling its leaves up and spearing it to death with the thorns.
| “ | Suddenly I saw Domingo, the leader of the guides, standing before an enormous plant and making gestures for me to go to him. I wondered what could be the matter. I soon saw; the plant had just captured a bird! The poor creature had alighted on one of the leaves, which had promptly closed, its thorns penetrating the body of the little victim, which endeavoured vainly to escape, screaming mean-while in agony and terror. "Plante vampire!" explained Domingo, a cruel smile spreading over his face. Involuntarily I shuddered; the forest was casting its evil spell upon me.[1]
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Similar Cryptids and Hoaxes[]
Famous Cryptozoologist Karl Shuker finds the existence of this plant plausible, and suggests that it may be synonymous with the Nicaraguan dog-devouring tree, and the Brazilian bird-eating tree.
The carnivorous plant with the largest known traps is probably the Nepenthes raja, which produces pitchers up to 38 cm (15 in) tall with a volume of up to 3.5 liters (0.77 imp gal; 0.92 US gal). This species traps small mammals.
The earliest known report of a carnivorous tree originated as a literary fabrication written by Edmund Spencer for the New York World. Spencer's article first appeared in the daily edition of the New York World on 26 April 1874, and appeared again in the weekly edition of the newspaper two days later. In the article, a letter was published by a purported German explorer named "Karl Leche" (also spelled as Karl or Carl Liche in later accounts), who provided a report of encountering a sacrifice performed by the "Mkodo tribe" of Madagascar.
The story of a "man-eating tree" in Madagascar, often associated with the fictional Mkodo tribe, is a hoax, with details like the tribe and the tree itself being pure fabrications.
In J. W. Buel's Land and Sea (1887), the Ya-te-veo ("I-see-you-already") plant is said to catch and consume large insects but also attempts to consume humans. It is said to be a carnivorous plant that grows in parts of Central and South America with cousins in Africa and on the shores of the Indian Ocean. There are many different descriptions of the plant, but most reports say it has a short, thick trunk and long tendril-like appendages which are used to catch animals or people.
On October 18, 2007 residents of Padrame near Kokkoda in Uppinangady forest range sighted one such carnivorous tree trying to dine on a cow.
Sources and Refrences[]
- Shuker, Karl P. N. (2003) The Beasts That Hide From Man: Seeking the World's Last Undiscovered Animals, Paraview Press, ISBN 1-931044-64-3
- ↑ Prorok, Byron de "'Midst pygmies: exploring in unknown Mexico," Wide World Magazine 73 (August 1934)
- https://cryptidarchives.fandom.com/wiki/Vampire_plant
- ↑ Prorok, Byron de "'Midst pygmies: exploring in unknown Mexico," Wide World Magazine 73 (August 1934)