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"Teaching people about the world in which we live."

Botanical Gardens Story
by Lara Steele

As a small child, Lara was very inquisitive.  At a very early age her mother took her to a botanical garden.  Lara listened very carefully and was fascinated by the similarity between toadstools and mushrooms.  Apparently according to the guide the toadstools could be very dangerous and she should never eat one.  It was also pointed out that it was very difficult to tell the difference between the two.

About a month later, Lara and her mother were taking a hike in the mountains in Montana.  Lara ran up to her mother with a toadstool in her hand.  She asked, "Mommy is this a mushroom?"

Her mother, being very proud of her daughter for remembering that that is what a mushroom looked like, said, "Why very good Lara!  Yes it is."  She never thought about the lesson that her daughter had paid careful attention to at the botanical gardens.

Lara proceeded to take a large bite out of the toadstool.  Her mom did not notice till after she had swallowed that first bite.  Fortunately it turned out that the toadstool had been a mushroom after all.  The mom was able to take the half eaten plant and Lara to a hospital.  At the hospital they were able to call a botanical garden in the area and inquire about the plant.  This avoided the need to pump Lara's stomach just in case it had been poisonous.

What two rolls did the botanical gardens play in this adventure?
How could Lara's mother have avoided Lara eating the mushroom?
What type of plants do you think the botanical garden had?

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