This small tree with large glossy leaves was important in Polynesian medicine to treat muscle and joint pain. The leaves were placed on the affected area with heated stones and the wax from the leaves were massaged into the skin. it grows primarily in the coastal areas. In fact there were several near where we went snorkeling. This is definitely not an edible fruit. I found one on the ground and was thinking about biting it till I got a whiff of it. Phew!!!
You are right about the smell. And for anyone with any senses, you are right about it being completely inedible. But there are many crazy people in this world. Noni is herald by the organic/nutrition health types as one of the wonder cures of our time. We saw it grown both in the bay islands and across the northern coast of Honduras. People are actually plowing out stands of productive mangos to plant this “wonder cure of the twenty-first century”. Just Google Search on Noni. You’ll find a ton of mail order houses selling the juice. It is event available in Sam’s Club. I saw a guy on Utila actually eat an entire Noni fruit like an apple. Ugh! This is the worst smelling/tasting stuff in nature.
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