POISONOUS AND INJURIOUS PLANTS 51 
light with age. Given sufficient space, its long, spreading branches 
form an attractive, symmetrical crown. All parts of the plant con- 
tain a milky sap, which is acrid and poisonous, The alternate, smooth, 
thin leaves are borne on long, stout leaf stems. The oblong leaves are 
3 to 5 inches long, 2 to 3 inches wide, rounded at the base, pointed 
at the tips, and have prominent midveins: they are dark green and 
shiny above, dull beneath. The small male and female flowers occur 
in clusters at the tips of the branches. The female flowers develop 
into spherical, smooth, green fruits about an inch in diameter, which 
have a strong odor of apples. They turn yellow and fall at matur ity, 
having become hard and woody. The small, brown seeds are elongated 
and fiattened. The trees blossom during the fall and mature ‘their 
fruits during the dry season; they are not deciduous, but they shed 
many of their leaves during the dry season. Propagation is by 
seeds. 
DisTRIBUTION AND Hasirat.—Manchioneel is found on all the Vir- 
gin Islands, but is much more common on St. Croix than on the 
others. The trees commonly grow in coastal woods and thickets, and 
on rocky cliffs near the sea around the entire periphery of the islands 
in the wettest and driest areas. They occur singly, but more com- 
monly in groves associated with other seaside plants. They are less 
common inland, but do occur along streams, roadsides, fences, and 
ditchbanks. Occasional trees are found in pastures, waste grounds, 
and around house sites. 
Toxiciry AND Symptoms.—The milky sap of manchioneel is a 
powerful irritant (35). Although many persons are susceptible to 
the irritant, some are not. Cattle that come into contact with the 
plant often suffer severe skin irritation. Smoke from burning man- 
chioneel branches is very irritating to eyes, lungs, and even to the 
skin of susceptible persons. Hogs have been poisoned from eating 
the fruits. Early Spanish explorers, believing the fruit to be crab- 
apples, ate them—sometimes with fatal results (35). The sap of 
manchioneel may cause a severe inflammation of the skin, similar to 
that from poison-oak or poison-ivy, but often worse. If the juice 
comes into contact with the eyes, a severe irritation sets in that may 
lead to temporary or even permanent blindness (58). The irritation 
always is accompanied by severe pain. 
MANAGEMENT AND Conrroyt.—Manchioneel trees occur in many 
locations that are accessible to livestock. Preventative measures 
should be stressed in the management of livestock, especially swine. 
Livestock should not be allowed access to nor be tethered or other- 
wise confined in areas containing manchioneel. Pigpens and cow lots 
should not be built to use manchioneel as shade, since rain falling 
through the trees can cause skin irritations to livestock. Even though 
livestock ordinarily do not browse on manchioneel, they may be poi- 
soned by eating the leaves or fruits if they are tethered or confined 
where the trees occur. 
Individual trees may be grubbed out when young. Tree poisoning 
is recommended for thick stands or for trees that occur over wide 
areas. Mature trees are hard to kill with the common herbicides. 
