Machineel trees, found along many beaches in the Caribbean, bear a poisonous fruit similar to a crabapple. Not eating the fruit is easy enough, but they also have irritant sap that blisters the skin, similar to poison ivy and poison oak. Even standing under these trees during a rainstorm can bring on a major festering nightmare. On major tourist beaches, the machineel trees generally have warning signs.

I did not heed these when in St John and my bushwhacking earned me a knee and elbow of itching ecstasy. Steroid lotions, detergents, Claritin, and voodoo have calmed it down to tolerable in just two weeks.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.