Cerbera odollam

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cerbera-odollam

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Family: Apocynaceae
2. What is the geographical distribution?South and Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Queensland (Australia)
3. What is Cerbera odollam and why is it called the suicide tree?Cerbera odollam is a tall flowering tree that grows in sandy coastal areas and mangrove swamps. It has a red fruit that contains a very strong poison called cerberin. Because the poison can kill with just one seed, people have called it the suicide tree.
4. How does the poison in Cerbera odollam affect the heart?The poison stops a pump in heart cells that keeps the heart beating normally. This can make the heart beat irregularly or stop, which can be very dangerous.

Cardiac Glycoside: A type of plant toxin that affects the heart's pumping action and rhythm.
Non-Arable Land: Land that is not suitable for growing crops, often due to poor soil quality or climate.