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The needlethorn plant was a succulent bush with hollow, toxic brown spines native to Pern. Its hollow thorns were often used as hypodermic needles.

Needlethorn was typically found around Ista, Nerat, and Paradise Stake, and was nearly always found in the presence of Ging trees. It had two stages: an active growing phase and a dormant stage. During the growth stage, several cactus-like 'stalks' emerged from a single base of broadleaf. The vine grew during the winter and had to shed its old corona or leave too many unprotected gaps. Needlethorn had a dormant period that coincided with the blooming of the ging trees it grew near.

The skin had fine hairs that could cause irritation and possible inflammation of the skin upon contact. Needlethorn was omnivorous and shot its thorns at anything that disturbed it during its growing season. The spines were poisonous during the growing period. The bush had an odor during spring and summer that attracted snakes and insects. The hollow spines sucked essential juices from the creatures impaled and absorbed rainwater.

Needlethorn was commonly used by the Pernese, especially the Healercraft. Needlethorn spines were commonly used as hypodermic needles for injections or blood draws. Pernese who harvested needlethorn typically made use of fronds from ging trees. The sap of the ging tree was a natural adhesive that made it easy to form packages from cut fronds. Needlethorn could only be harvested during the plant's dormant phase.

During the plague of the Sixth Pass, Master Healer Capiam and his team used needlethorn to provide a vaccination for the Pernese who survived the first wave of the plague.

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