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West Indies Coastal Flora
On deserted sandy beaches we saw Beach Morning Glory and Butterfly Pea. These are beach creepers, with long stems (several meters long) and lovely purple flowers, either trumpet-shaped, or characteristically pea-family shaped with a spur set off by background petals. The sand-clinging stems serve to stabilize the sandy coasts.
Acacia trees and shrubs (many species) with their thorns and dusty green foliage keep casual walkers from exploring too far inland from the coast.
Manchineel is a nasty tree, found on most islands, and identified by its shiny leaves and small green crab-apple size fruits. The leaves, bark and fruits are all toxic, so much so that even standing under a manchineel in the rain can cause blistering of the skin! The fruits are deadly to goats (and presumably people). Around villages the trees are often painted with a wide red band to warn off unaware visitors. (Native)
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