Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

About 500 species of trees, from the giants of the
luxuriant rain forests to the shrubby trees of dry
areas and windswept mountain summits, are native
to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, both
United States and British (fig. 1). In addition,
several hundred tree s ecies rom other tropical
lands around the worl cf have been introduced into
the islands because of showy flowers, handsome
foli?ge, dense shade, valuable timber, delicious
fruits, or other values
Naturally, there have been many requests for a
reference book on this subject. Information about
most trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
has not previously been assembled in nontechnical
form and drawings of some have never been pub-
1ishe6. Nor are technical botanical floras forestry
publicationq and miscellaneous scientiec references
on this subject generally available.
Tliis book describes in detail 250 of the c0.mmoner
and more important native and exotic tree
species, those most likely to be seen. Identification
of each s ecies is aided by a large drawing
8
of the leaves, owers,.and fruit and a description
that emphasizes the distin yishin characteristics.
For further identification, 130 a cf ditional, related
species are mentioned briefly and com ared with
those illustrated. Thus, 380 species I' rom forest
giants down to small trees are included.
The primary purpose of this book, ublished
also in Spanish 211, is to answer for t e people
b
of these and near y areas of the West Indies, both
residents and tourmts, the question : What tree is
tliis? Having answered that, it aims to give the
more important and interesting facts about the
tree. It should be he1 ful to university students,
teachers of high schoo !' s, and instructors in youth
rograms such as 4-H Clubs, Boy Scouts, and
&irl Scouts. It should be a useful reference in
extension and technical assistance pro
cultuml research, forestry, and far yms, andowners, agri-
landscape architects, and gardeners. Foresters
and forestry students in continental United States
will find here the descriptions of many common
timber trees of tropical America.
For the rapidly increasing number of tourists
from continental United Stntes, this reference
rovides the tree names and nnstvers questions.
tublic forests. both natural and managed, are
easily accessible by paved highways. The Virgin
Islands National Park contains large farest areas
in St. John. Teachers, students, and all interested
in nature can use this field guide in identification.
This reference will be 11sefr11 over somewhat
ltirger areas in tropical America because most of
tho tree species figpred are widely distributed. It
INTRODUCTION
E
will be of value also in the other West Indies
nnd in cotlntries bordering the Caribbean Sea not
having similar publications.
Also this book will be helpful within continental
United States, notably in southern Florida. More
than half of the 280 species selected grow also in
sor~thenl Florida. More than one-fourth, or 65,
are in Cl~eck List of vatire and Naturaliz2d Trees
of the United States (19) ; 42 ns native, mostly
in the Florida Keys or southern Floridn mainland,
and 23 as naturalized. Two more are
shrubs in the United States, and the others are
lantcd in southern Florida, although some in
lmited nambers.
necnuse of their value and interest, 72 species
of exotic or introduced trees mostly common
through tropical America have been included.
IV11ile the remaining 178 species illustrated are
native in Puerto Rico, only 28 are confined or
endemic there. According to their. distribution,
101 of these are found also in the Virgin Islands,
wllicl~ have fewer tree species because of their
smaller size and lower altitude; 148 are known in
other Jest Indian islands; and 102 grow wild
somewhere on the continent, such as in southern
Florida, Mexico, Central America, or South
America.
Information presented in addition to that reuired
for identification assists the renders to know
1 t ie tree better and to judge its si~itability for timber,
shnde, ornament, fruit, or other purposes.
These notes include: (1) the size the tree attins
at maturity; (2) whether evergreen or deciduous;
(3) the normal shape of the crown; (4)
the nbundance, color, and fn ance of the flowers;
(5) the kind of fruit an f whether edible or
poisonons; (6) the usual period of flowering and
fruiting; (7) a brief description of the wood and
its uses; (8) other uses of the tree and its products;
(9) notes on propa ation, growth rate, and
site adaptability if availa % le; (10) where the tree
grows within Puerto Rico and tho Virgin Islands;
(11) tho geographical distribution, including native
home if introduced; (12) other common
nlirnes listed by country and language; and (13)
relttted nnt ive tree species.
It was not possible to include within one volurne
an equal number of importltnt though less
colnmon tree species. Seveml hundred add~tional
tree species were recorded by nritton and Wilson
(5) t~s introduced, mostly in small numbers or
experimentally, such as in nurseries, experimental
forests, nrboreta, and gardens. A second volume
is planned to describe and ill~ldrnte the remaining
native tree species and widely planted exotics.