Machineel Tree

The manchineel tree is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family. Its native range stretches from tropical southern North America to northern South America. The manchineel tree can be found on coastal beaches and in brackish swamps, where it grows among mangroves. It provides excellent natural windbreaks and its roots stabilize the sand, thus reducing beach erosion. And despite the danger, people have used manchineel to make furniture for centuries, carefully cutting the wood and then drying it in the sun to neutralize its poisonous sap. Native people even used manchineel as medicine, including the gum for edema and its dried fruits as a diuretic. The evergreen tree has reddish-gray bark, small greenish-yellow flowers, and shiny green leaves. The leaves are simple, alternate, very finely serrated or toothed, 2–4 in inches long. Spikes of small greenish flowers are followed by fruits similar in appearance to an apple. Manchineel, also called Poison Guava, (Hippomane mancinella), tree of the genus Hippomane, of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), that is famous for its poisonous fruits.

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Genus: Hippomane

Species: H. mancinella