Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

HORSERADISH-TREE FAMILY (MONNGACEAE*)
54. Resedl, horseradish-tree Moringa oleifera Lam.'
This ornamental planted tree is characterized
1)y : (1) featlieiy or fernlike foliage of 3-pinnately
compound leaves 1-1% feet long composed of numerous
thin elliptic leaflets I/q-S/g inch long and
1/8-3/g inch broad; (2) many she\\-y fragrant white
flom-els % inch or more across the 10 spreading
sepals and petals, slightly irregular, in lateral clusters
4-8 inches long; (3) large, 3-angled, brolvn
seed capsules 7-14 inches long and rZ/1-1 inch broad,
hanging down; and (4) roots with odor and taste
of horseradish.
A small decicluo~ls tree to 30 feet high and to 10
inches in tiunk diameter, n-it11 spreading brittle
branches. The wl~it,ish-pay barlr is smooth;sh,
fissured and \\.arty or corky, becoming rough. The
twirls are finely hairy and green, becoming brown.
The alternate leaves have slender, finely hairy,
green and reddish-tinged axes, the latei-a1 ones
paired. haflets are paired except for terminal
one and have minute stalks less than l/lo inch long.
The blades are rounded or blunt-pointed at apex
and short-pointed at base, the edges not toothed,
green and almost hairless on upper surface, and
paler and hairless beneath.
Spreading or drooping flower clusters (panicles)
ha^-e many minutely hairy flowers on slender
Ilniry stalks. The basal cup (hypanthium) 1/8
inch long and broad bears 5 unequal white sepnls
ttbout 1/2 inch long; there are 5 unequal white petals
%-y8 inch long; 5 stamens alternating with 5
smaller sterile stamens (stsminodes) ; and pistil
of 1-celled ovary and slender style.
The seed cap.ii11es \\.it11 lon 'tudinal ridges split
open along tho 3 angles. #ere are many seeds
tlbout 1 inch long, colnposed of 3 \vhit,isl~ papery
wings around a dark brown ro~~nclecl center Y2
inch or less across. Flowering and fruiting
through most of the year.
The soft wood is little used in Puerto Rico, but
tlie thick soft roots are s spicy condiment. It is
~*eportecl that, the corky bark can be made into
nlsts. Root extmcts, bark, and gum esuding from
tho trunk have been employed in some places in
medicines.
nen oil, elsen-here cxtmctecl commercially from
the seeds of this nncl a reltlted species, is n lubricant
for ~vatches and other fine mechanisms and s base
for perfumes and is said to be both edible and
medicinal. In some localities the young pods,
young leaves, and flowers are eaten cooked like
stringbeans and greens. Leaves and twigs have
been cut as fodder in India. Tlre flowers are a
sonrce of honey.
Grown chiefly as an ornamental and in fences
tlncl hedges. Tlle plants are propagated by seeds
arid cuttings and coppice vigorously. Though
spectacular for the abundant white flowers and
long seed capsules, this irregularly shaped tree
with weak, easily broken branches is not so attractive
~vhen old. Moreover, in Puerto Rico it, is very
susceptible to attack by termites and for this reason
not recommended as an ornamental. It is reported
that this tree is the only tree in gardens of
soutllern Florida that flowers every day of the
year.
Widely planted for ornament and along rondsides
and escaping from cultivation in Puerto
Rico, especial1 in the coastal regions. Also in
Vieques St. C?' roiu, St. Thomas, St. John, and
Virgin borcls.
R~~cE.-Native of East Indies, southeastern
Asia, and India, but now widely distributed
throl!gh the tropics. Planted and escaped or nataral~zed
in southern Florida including Florida
1%~ (planted also in southern California) and
throughout West Inclies from Bahamas and Cuba
to Trinidad and Tobago and Ciimpao. Also from
hlexico to Peru, Paraguay, and Brazil.
OTIIER COMD~ON NAMES.-ben, iin la, jazmiii
frtinc6s (Peerto Rico) ; mornion, paf de abejas,
lilrertad (Dominicnn ~e~ublicg ; parafso frands
p:ilo jeringa, be11 (Cuba) ; paraiso de Es aiia,
p:tr~iiso (Centml America) ; perlas, pnrniso b I? anco
(Guatemala) ; teberinto, terebinto (El Salvador) ;
j:~cinto (Panama) ; lingels (Colombia) ; horser:~clish-tree,
drumstick-tree (IJnited States, English)
; maranga cala1G (British Honduras) ; saljhnn,
St. John (British Guiana) ; benzolivier, ben
oleifere (Haiti) ; maloko (Guadeloupe) ; benhoom,
salaster, oreng a, moriengo, brenolli, orselli
(Dutch West &dies) ; pepern~ortelboom
(Surinam).
BOTANICAL s~~o~ms.-NOringa moringa (L.)
Millsp., N. pterygospemta Gaertn.