Exactly what the title says it is.
This is adapted from Monsters and Villains of the Movies and Literature by Gerrie McCall, Dragons: Fearsome Monsters from Myth and Fiction by Gerrie McCall, and Mythical Monsters by Chris McNab.
All the information...
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STINGER: The stinger, which is similar to a tongue, rapidly lashes out at prey, aiming fro the face or head of its victims. The venom acts immediately, blinding or killing a man within seconds of the sting.
BASE: A mass of roots consisting of thick tentacles can anchor the Triffid to the ground or move it along the ground at walking speed.
STEM: Its stalk carries nutrients from the roots to the head of the Triffid.
HEAD: Hollow and brightly colored, the flowerlike head contains both the stinger and a sticky substance used by the Triffid to trap insects.
Triffid seeds stolen from a Soviet research lab are caught in the wind and scattered across the earth. They take root. The plant has a lethal stinger, but is not considered dangerous. Collectors remove the stinger and cultivate the plants in greenhouses. Scientists discover that the Triffid can be grown as a commercial crop because of their valuable oils and protein. However, as the plants multiply, the peril increases. Triffids can uproot themselves and move about at will. Each plant emits a slow, clicking sound that grows faster and faster as it zeroes in on a target.
The poisonous stinger whips out of the Triffid's head and strikes its victim, leaving behind a dark green venom and a painful welt with cuts. The Triffid roots itself next to a fallen victim and waits for the flesh to decay. Rotted flesh is easier for the stinger to pull inside its head and absorb. When an intense burst of light from a meteor shower blinds most people on Earth, Triffids easily pick off the sightless humans. As the Triffids take over, city dwellers are forced to move to the countryside to escape the threat.
DID YOU KNOW?
The most effective way to kill a Triffid is by severing its trunk or destroying its head bud. Because it has no internal organs, it cannot be killed by bullets. Burning a Triffid is a less effective method for destroying it because of the possibility of the flames causing other fires.
Some people believe that dousing a Triffid with saltwater is the best way to stop the hostile vegetation in its tracks.
A Triffid's stinger will grow back when damaged.
Although Triffids move slowly, they are able to climb stairs and shove obstacles out of their way while searching for victims.
John Wyndham created the deadly plants in his 1951 novel, The Day of the Triffids.
