Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

53. Burro prieto, Jamaica caper
CAPER FAMILY ((
This small tree or shrub of coastal thickets is PUBLIC FOREST.-Gubnica,
identified by: (1) minute brown scales on young R'tsa~.-Southern Florida including Florida
twigs, petioles, under side of leaves, flower stnlks, Keys and \Test Indies from Bnhamns and Cuba
flowers, and fruits; (2) elliptic, slightly lenthery throngli Lesser Antilles. Also in southern Mexico
Ienves short-pointed nt apex and base, shiny yellow and Central America south to Panama. Cultivated
green on upper surface nnd silvery brown beneath; outside the naturnl range.
(3) purpldi flowers about 3h inch ncross or 2 OTHER CO>IMON rs~~rm.-bejuco inglks, snpo
inches ncross the long, spreading, brushlike stn- (Pnerto Rico) ; mostncilln, cnrbonero, cipnrnyo,
mens, borne in clusters at or nmr ends of twigs; pnlo dinblo (Cuba) ; olivo, frijol (Domin~cnn Reand
(4) long, nnrro~s-ly cylindrical, light brown public) ; zic (Guntemnla) ; cndurece mniz (Nicapods
nbout 8 (4-12) inches long nnd 5i6 inch in rngnn); Jnmnicn caper, cnpertree, zebrawood
diameter. linnging do~rn\vnrd? exposing the bright (United Stntes) ; blnck-\rillo~r (Bnlinmtls, Jarecl
inncr ~vnll upon opening.
mnicn) ; bois s6nega1, bois cncii, bois d'argent
An evergreen tree or shrnb attaining 10-20 feet (Nniti) ; bois noir (Guadeloupe) .
in height, with densa compnct crown. The dark BOTANICAL BYXONYS~.-Cappamis jn~naicenais
pray or bl-olvn bt~rk is smooth nnd thin, becoming Jncq.
fissurccl. Illtier bnrk is light brown, ~ritli spic Five more species of this genus nre native in
tnste like I~orsen~dish. The slender tmip are sif Puerto Rico nnd the Virgin Islands. ICnomn as
very brown tuld nngled, becoming gray.
burro nnd caper, these shrubs or smnll trees are
Tile lenres nre borne singly (alternate) nnd have chnrnct~ristic of thickets in the dry coastal repetioles
%-?h incli long. I~af blndes are common- gions. Lingunm (Cappark indicn (L.) Fawc. &
ly 24 inches long and q/,-11/, inches broad, some- Rendle) is the only other species with minute
tinies murli long2r on young plan& or young scnles on tlie twigs, under side of lenves, and flowslloots,
tlie edges sliglitly turned under. Different ers. It differs from tlie species described nbo\-e in
rr~czs vary in lenf sizes nnd slinpe.
its flo~vers with short 4-lobed calyx only I/s inch
Flower clusters (corymbs) are laternl but ap- long nnd petnls hairy as well ?s scaly.
penring terminnl, nbout 2 inches long, with fern to The other 4 species have hnlrless leaves and lack
se\.ernl frngrnnt flowers nenr end of an angled tlie minute scales. Palingutin or limber caper
sc.:rlv I)ro\vn stnlk. Flo~ver buds nre sliglltly 4- (C'ccpp(tria $exuoxa (L.) L.) has usually narrow,
:t~ipletl. There are 4 pointed sepals 3/g inch long, linear or elliptic leaves 24% inches long and
finely scnly on or~tside and hniry on inside; 4 el- 943-2 inches brond, blunt or notched at apes, and
liptic pllrplisll petnls $ inch long, finely scnly on rounded or nnrrowed at bnse.
oi~tside; lnnny purplish stamens 1M-llh inches Snpo or rat-bean (Capparis baducca L.) has
long, wit11 yellow tinthers, wiclely spre d Inrge elliptic or oblong leaves 4-12 inches long and
aron witlierlng; nnd scnly, nnrrowly c;li:~ib$ 11/2-3% inclies wide, short-pointed at apes, and
1-celled ovary 3/ls inch long including the flat roundetl at bnse, and smnll flowers less than 1/2
stipnn, nt end of stnlk abollt 1 inch long.
inch long with the stamens no longer than the
The long-st:1lked pods, slightly narrowed be- petals.
tween tlle sercls, split open irregulnrly to expose The remaining 2 species have broader pods not
the ninny elliptic slliny brown seeds 1/, inch long.
Difl'erent trees in flower and frliit at various times
nnrrowecl between tlie seeds. Burro or broadleaf
throud~ont the yew.
caper (Cappar& coccolobifo2ia Mart.) has stiff,
Tlie snp~vood is light brown. The heartwood is lenthery, broadly elliptic leaves 24% inches long
described ns yellow, tinged with red, hnrd, and ;~ncl 11/&-3 inches \vide, rounded or notched at apex,
l~envy. Used only for posts tlnd fuel in Puerto rind usunlly Ilenrt-shaped nt base; and the fruit
Rico. Elsc~vliere occnsionnlly cultivated in parks oblong, flattened, 4-7 inches long and 1% inches
n~id ns 11 street tree. It is reported that the roots wide.
nnd leaves 1i:ive been employed medicinally. Burro blnnco (Capparis portoricensis Urban)
111 tliickets, cliiefly in the clry coastal region of hus elliptic leaves 11/2-41/2 inches long and 1-2
Pi~erto Rico. Also ill Mona, Desecheo, Icacos, inches brond, rounded or short-pointed at apex,
Culebrn, St. Crois, St. Thomas, St. John, and short-pointed nt bnse: and the short elliptic fruit
Tortola.
only ll/q-2% inches long and about s/4 inch wide.