Important Trees of Haiti

2 Bwa PIe
Species: Colubrina arborescens (Mill.) Sarg.
Family: Rhamnaceae
Synonyms: Ceonothus arborescens Mill., Colubrina colubrina Millsp., C. ferruginosa
Brongn., Rhamnus colubrinus Jacq.
Common Names: H - bois capable (bwa kapab), bois pele (bwa ple), bois de fer (bwa
fe), bois de fer blanc (bwa fe blan), bois mabi (bwa mabi), capable (kapab), kapab gran
fey, kapab ti fey, gri-gri, gri-gri sovaj, rougeole (roujiol ), RD - corazon de paloma,
cuerno de buey; C - bijaguara, birijagua, fuego; J - black velvet, greenheart, mountain
ebony, snake-wood, wild ebony; US - coffee colubrina, snake-bark.
Importance: A Haitian species of choice for rural house construction, the form of C.
arborescens fits perfectly in the mid- to upper-canopy layer oftraditional perennial gardens.
The tree grows rapidly with an excellent form and yields a quick return of goods
and services to the farmer. It is a popular shade tree that is easily propagated.
Taxonomy and Botanical Features: At least 5 species of Colubrina occur on'
Hispaniola (Liogier, 1982). C. arborescens, the most common species, has several varieties,
giving rise to a proliferation ofcommon names used in Haiti. In tum, the common
names have been used indiscriminately without careful taxonomic referencing. The
popular large-leaf variety is known in Creole as bwa pte or bwa pete in the Cayes and
Cap-HaYtien regions. Less utilized names are gri-gri, kapab granfey, bwa mabi and bwa
fe . The small-leaf variety is known as bwa kapab, kapab, kapab ti fey, gri-gri sovaj or
bwa fe blan. There is a less common long-leaf variety, occurring in the wet ravine cloud
forests of the higher elevations. Several of the common names of C. arborescens also
refer to C. elliptica (Sw.) Briz & Stern (syn: C. reclinata Brongn.) and Schaefferia
frutescens Jacq. (Celastraceae). The latter species is also known as bwa kapab and is
distinguished by smaller elliptical leaves 2.5-6 cm long and 0.8-2.0 cm wide, unisex-ual
flowers, and an indehiscent red drupe 4-6 mm diameter.
The varietal differences occur in tree size, leaf shape and branch. morphology.
Differences in the seed are indistinguishable to the naked eye. Features ofthe large-leaf
variety include: light green, thin, glabrous leaves 10-25 cm by 5-12 cm; puckered
between recursive leaf veins; an open crown; and tree heights 20-25 m (Fig. 2.2). The
small-leaf variety is distinguished by precocious fruiting, thicker dark green leaves 4-8
cm by 2-4cm, twigs with a conspicuous reddish pubescence, a dense crown, and tree
heights to 12 meters with stem diameters to 25 cm (Fig. 2.3). The less common longleafvariety
has leaves up to 18.5 cm long by 5 cm wide with a short 1.5 cm petiole. The
grayish-brown bark of C. arborescens cracks and peels as the tree matures, revealing
lighter patches of new bark and giving the stem a mottled appearance.
Distribution and Ecology: The small-leaf variety occurs on the shallow red and black
soils overlying limestone rock of the dry coastal areas and certain parts of the upper
Central Plateau. This variety is found at sea level to 300 m elevation in the wetter spectrum
of the subtropical dry forest. Annual rainfall ranges from 800-1200 mm and is
highly variable from year to year. The large-leaf variety is common to the low-elevation
humid mountain regions of Haiti (elevations between 150-1000 m and receiving
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