Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

LAUREL FAMILY (LAURACEAE)
45. Laurel avispillo, Jamaica nectandra Nectandra coriacea (Slv.) Griseb.
This tree is distinguished by: (1) spicy leaves,
twigs, and bark; (2) shiny green or dark green,
leathery, narrowly elliptic lenves usually short-
pointed at both :ipes nnil bnse, p:ile benmtlli with
n prominent net\vorlr of veins on both surfaces;
(3) small white flo\ve~s % inch or more across,
6-lobed, many or sever111 in lateral clusters with
ink or red brnnches: ancl (4) rolllid or elliptic
hnckish or dark blue fruits about 1h-% inch long,
\\-it11 recl cup.
A small evergreen tree attaining 20-30 feet in
height and 612 inches in trunk dlameter, with a
ntlrrow crown. Tlie bark is gnly and s~nootliisli.
Inner bark is liglit brown. The slender twigs are
green and slightly hairy when young turning
q'.
he leaves are r~lternnte on short petioles M-lk
inch long. Leaf blatles tlre 2-6 inches long tlnd
%-2l/z inches brond, thickened and leatheiy (as
the specific nanie indicates), often bent upward
slightly on both sides of midrib, not toothed on
edges.
Flower clusters (panicles) are 14 inches long,
bearing the fragrant flowers on slender stalks
lncli long. The cnlyx has 6 widely spread-
(Wit is11 Honduras) ; laurier blanc (Haiti) ; bois
tloux n6gresse, bois violon, bois doux noir (Guadeloupe)
; s\veetwood (Dutch West Inclies).
BOTANIC.\I. SYXONY~~S.-Ocoten coriacea (Sw.)
Ihit ton, 0. catesbyccnlc (Ificlis.) Sarg.
lpivo other species of this genus, knomn also as
lu~~rel, itre native in moist forests of Puerto Rico,
111it1 2 of these reported also from the Virgin
Islnnds. Aguacatillo (Nectandra antillam
AIeisn.), of soutllern and enstern Puerto Rico and
St. Tliomas, lias oblong or broadly lance-shaped
letlves 3lh-0 inches long and 1-3 inches wide, long-
~lointed at apes and short-pointed at base, hairless
except on main vein beneath.
Laurel cane1611 (N~cfandru krugii &fez), of centnil
and western mountains, lias the twigs, petioles,
brnnclies of flower clusters, nncl the flowers rusty
Iitlirjr; leaves oblong or Ituico-slin ed, 45/2-10
i~lclies long and 1%-31/! inclies wide, I' ong-pointed
nt npex ancl sliort-pointecl or ronndecl at base, veins
sunken in upper surface and proiiiineiit beneath,
Iiniry beneath and also above iv11en young.
Laurel prieto (A7ectnndra ?nembrttnacea (Sm.)
Griseb.) , also called I~iurdillo, Iins young twigs
rusty hniry and oblong to elliptic leaves 3-10
Ing, white, finely hairy lobes f/H-3,