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The story I heard about these was that during WW2 American GIs stationed in Australia were tricked by the locals into using the leaves as a replacement for toil
by growlist 6y ago
The story I heard about these was that during WW2 American GIs stationed in Australia were tricked by the locals into using the leaves as a replacement for toilet paper, with predictably unfortunate results.
- buran77 6y agoPresumably one realizes their mistake the moment they touch the leaves, long before they can reach around. So really you could tell anything to an unsuspecting victim just to get them to touch it. The "toilet paper" spin might be there to give the tale a humorous effect.
- jp0d 6y agoFrom what I've heard, the locals didn't trick them. One captain apparently had to do his business in the bush and used the leaves to clean himself. He was just unaware.
- marsRoverDev 6y agoFor context, there is a completely different plant affectionately known as "bushman's toilet paper" (an example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachyglottis_repanda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachyglottis_repanda). It grows more or less in the same places as the Gympie Gympie (the plant referred to in this article). An easy mistake to make, and a very, very dangerous one.