There's a tree that broke the internet because of how deadly it is; taking a single bite from the tree can kill you immediately, and touching its sap or leaves can leave you with terrible blisters.
It is dubbed the most deadly tree on the planet and is located in Mexico, Southern Florida, and the Caribbean. From those who know about this tree, touching or scratching your body on the leaves, sap, or bark can leave you with blisters that are as painful as a snake bite.
The name of this tree is the Manchineel tree, and the Guinness Book of World Records even awarded it the most dangerous tree in the world in 2011. Some poison from fruits can be very deadly, but the Manchineel deadly fruit can kill immediately.
One researcher named Christopher Columbus called the tree's fruit "manzanilla de La Muerte," which means the little apple of death. The toxins from the deadly tree are so strong that they can cause blindness if you stay too close to the tree when it burns. It is also so strong that standing under it when it rains will still inflict blisters on your body.
The bark of the Manchineel tree comes in shades of red, gray, and brown, which are very dangerous to humans. The leaves from this tree can reach up to 2 to 4 inches long, and the whole tree can reach about 5 feet tall.
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A warning about Manchineel (Source - Britannica)[/caption]
Right from history, the tree has been used for many purposes, especially for issues relating to war, hunting, and fighting. According to historians, the people of the Caribbean and Florida used the poison from the tree's fruit to rub on their arrowheads. Sometimes villains and enemies are tied to the tree to ensure they die a slow, painful death.
The Plant Family of The Manchineel Tree
The name of the Manchineel tree's plant family is Euphorbiaceae or the spurge family. According to scientists, the spurge family contains about 6,745 species in 218 genera.
Many of these plant family members are important in the food chain and are essential food sources for animals and humans. Others in this plant family are a source of medicinal drugs, and some are used to produce oil and waxes.
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Manchineel tree with a ripe fruit[/caption]
However, some members of this plant family, such as the Manchineel tree, are extremely dangerous and can cause severe damage to animals and humans. Most of the plant species that are dangerous in this plant family come in unusual shapes and heights.
Most species in this plant family can grow in any part of the world except the cold and arctic regions. But some species, like the Manchineel tree, can only be found in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Florida.
The flowers of this plant family are of one sex, and the female and male flowers of the tree are born in the same plant. The majority of the plants rarely have petals. Like the Manchineel tree, many trees in this plant family have stems filled with milky latex, which can be dangerous to the body if it touches you.
