Although it resides on chilled - out , tourer - favorable beach , the manchineel Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ( Hippomane mancinella ) appears infernal region - out to on its vendetta against humanness .
This Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree can found in the Caribbean , the Bahamas , the Gulf of Mexico , function of northern South America , the Galápagos Islands , and even parts of Florida . When the Spanish first find the tree during their colonial invasion of the Americas , they key out it “ arbol de la muerte , ” which translates to " tree diagram of death . " Even bear upon its barque can leave you with chemical burn mark , although its ill fame and perniciousness mainly lies in its fruit . assimilate the sweet - smelling fruit can get spartan vomiting , diarrhea , and capture .
Nicola Strickland , a consultant radiotherapist , write about her running game - in with the “ death apple”on her Caribbean vacation in Tobago . After mistaking the yield for a Phthirius pubis apple , she and her friend took a small sting . moment later , the “ peppery ” taste in their sass turn into a burn up sensation and within second they struggled to pass off as their airways closed up . Along with this , they acquire dangerous botheration in their necks as the toxin begin to ooze into their lymph client . Strickland and her friend were prosperous to live ; it is speculated they survived purely because they feed such a minuscule amount .
A manchineel tree ’s " death apple " on Santa Cruz Island , Galápagos . image credit : Jason Hollinger / Flickr . ( CC BY 2.0 )
The tree check many toxin . However , it is believed most of the unsavoury effects come from the organic compound phorbol . frighteningly , pretty much every part of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree contain these toxin , from its bark to its sap .
There are even stories of Caribbean tribes using the tomfool as an “ au naturel ” torturing gadget . After bind their captive to the tree diagram , they would then expect for the rain to wash away the tree diagram ’s highly urine - soluble fool over their body . The saphead is so pack with toxins , liaison with peel can stimulate blistering , electrocution and severe excitation .
“ burn off it and send it to hell , ” you might say . alas , setting fervency to the wood will create smoke , which will do monolithic irritation to the eyes and is even known to cause temporary blindness .
As fearsome as the tree may be , iguanas are often spotted animation amongstits leg and even eating its fruit .
