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NatureSurprise 5/5Difficulty 3/5Reviewed on October 17, 2026

Sheltering from the rain under a manchineel tree can blister your skin.

Why it is true

The manchineel, from the Caribbean and Florida, has a milky sap so irritating that rainwater dripping from its leaves can burn the skin. Its fruit, which looks like small apples, is poisonous. On many beaches the trunks are marked with a red cross.

Source: University of Florida IFAS Extension

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