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POISONOUS AND INJURIOUS PLANTS 
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BN—13194 
FIGURE 6.—Akee (Blighia sapida Koen.) 
rounded at the base, bluntly pointed at the tips, 3 to 6 inches long, and 
11% to 21% inches wide. The small, white flowers are borne in the leaf 
axils on long, pendulous stems. The smooth fruits are bluntly 3- 
angled; they are 21% inches long and 114 inches thick, and become 
bright red at maturity. The ripe fruits split open, revealing a bright 
yellow inner coating, in which are embedded large, black seeds with 
attached whitish, edible portions called arils. 
DistriBuTion AND Haprrar.—Akee trees were introduced into the 
Virgin Islands and are planted as ornamentals and for their fruit. 
Although the trees are scarce, they are occasionally found near dwell- 
ings or in places where livestock might reach them. 
Toxiciry AND Symproms.—T wo substances isolated from akee fruits 
are capable of reducing the amount of sugar in the blood (22). Larson 
