Manchineel: What Makes It The Most Poisonous Tree In The World

Manchineel (Hipponane mancinella) is a flowering plant native to tropical Southern North America and Nothern South America. They can be found on coastal beaches and in brackish swamps where it grows among mangroves. The name manchineel is from Spanish Manzanilla (little apple). But the present day Spanish name is in fact Manzanilla de la murte, “little apple of death”.

The following enumerated statements justifies why Manchineel is the most poisonous tree in the world:

1. All the parts of Manchineel contain strong toxins; some are yet to be identified.
2. The milky whit sap of this plant contains phorbol (a natural, plant derived organic compound) and other skin irritants, producing allergic dermatitis.
3. During rain, standing beneath the tree will cause blistering of the skin from mere contact with this liquid (even a drop of rain is not an exception as this will surely result to blistering of the skin).
4. The sap when in contact with cars damages the paints on cars.
5. Burning the tree is also dangerous because it may cause ocular injuries if the smoke gets in contact with the eyes. Bullous dermatitis, an acute kerato conjunctivitis and possibly large corneal epoithelial defects are produced when the sap reaches the eyes.
6. Though fatalities from fruit ingestion are yet to be reported. But ingestion may lead to severe gastroenteritis with bleeding, shock, bacterial super infection and the potential for airway compromise due to edema.
7. Interestingly, the fruit is reportedly pleasantly sweet at first, with a subsequent strange peppery feeling, gradually progressing to a burning, tearing sensation and tightness of the throat.
8. It has also been reported that Carib Indians used the sap of this tree to poison their arrows and would tie captives to the trunk of the tree, ensuring a slow and painful death.
9. The leaves are also used by the Carib to poison the enemy water