Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

LEGUME FAMILY (LEGUMINOSAE)
MIMOSA SUBFAMILY (MIMOSOIDEAE; MIMOSACEAE)
68. Guam5 americano, guamuchil Pithcellobiurn dulce (Roxb,) 'Benth.*
This introduced tree planted for shade and
ornament along 1~igI:llwtt s and streets and around
llouses is distinguished 6 y : (1) usunlly n pt~ir of
slender sharp spines (stipules) XG-5/g inch Ion
nt bttse of er~cll leaf ar sometimes spineless; (27
twice pinnate leaves (bipinnnte) with 2 lateral
axes, each with 2 nearly stalkless oblong or ovate
leaflets; (3) small creamy white flowers in many
snlnll ball-like hends s/B inch across in slender
drooping ternlinnl or lateral axes; and (4) curved
or coiled pink to brown pods 4 5 inches long, narrowed
between the seeds, nnd splitting open on
both sides to loosen several sl~iny black seeds
mostly covered by pink or ml~it,isll pulp, ~vllich is
edible.
A smdl to medium-sized tree 30-50 feet in
Ileight and 1-2 feet in trunk clinmeter, or shrubby,
~vith trunk and brnnches often crooked, and broad
spreading crown. Nearly evergreen but shedilin~
the old leaves as new ones appear. The bnrk is
light py, smoothisll, becoming slightly roug11
and furrowed. The thick inner bnrk is light
brown and bitter or astringent. Twigs are slender
and drooping, penis11 and slightly hairy when
young, becoming gmy, covered with many small
n-l~itish dots (lenticels) .
The alternate leaves have n very slender pen petiole %-11/2 inches long with minuto round gland
near apex and the 2 lateral axes (pinnne) only
1/R-% inch long. The 4 thin or slightly thickened
lertflets m 1/2-2 inches Ion and y/lG-5/s inch wide,
w~nded at apex, the obEque base munded or
short-pointed, not toothed on edges, hairy or hair-
less, dull pale peen above nnd light p en beneath.
Sen- growth is pink or reddish.
The flower clusters (heads) are short-stalked,
each covered with whitfish hairs and composed of
nbout 2030 densely hairy flowers. The flower has
a tubular hairy 5-toothed calyx nbout x6 inch
long, n funnel-shaped tubalnr hairy 5-toothed
corolla about y8 inch long, nbout 50 spreading long
threadlike stamens united into n short tube at btue,
and pistil with hairy ovary and threadlike style.
The pod is %-5/8 inch wide, slightly flattened,
ancl inconspicuously hairy. The flattened seeds
(4,000 to a pound) nre nbout y8 inch long rind
Ilaug clown inside the pulpy mass (aril) ns much
as yL inch long. Recoriled ns flowering from Jan-
uary to May and in fruit from Febnlnry to Jaly.
Sapwood is yello\visll, nnd Ileart\rood yellowisll
or reddish brown. Tlle wood is moderately soft,
heavy strong, and durnble. It takes a high polish
but is brittle and not easily worked.
111 Puerto Iiico the n~ood is used on1 for posts
and fuel, but elsewllere it is employed for general
construction. The bnrk, which contains nbout 25
percent tannin, is harvested in Mexico. It also
yields a yellow dye and is an ingradient in home
remedies. A mucilage can be made by dissolving
in water the transparent deep reddish-brown gum
which exudes from the trunk.
This attractive species makes a good highway
and street tree, especially in dry areas, growing
rnpidl and enduring drought, Bent, and shade.
It wit !' lstnnds close browsing and pruning and is
suitnble for fences and hedges also. Formerly it
was n popular street tree in southern Florida,
where it was susceptible to llurricnne damage and
did not recover well.
The thick, pink, sweetish acid pulp around the
seeds can ba eaten or prepared into a drink like
lo~uonnde. Livestock ancl wild animals browse on
the ods under the trees. Also a honey plant.
.&ag roads tlnd in toil-ns thmugllout Puerh
Rico. Introduced also into St. Croix.
RANGE.-Aleuico (Lower California, Sonora,
nnd Cl~il~unl~un south~vnrd) tllrougll Central
America to Colombia and Venezuela. Introduced
in southern Florida, Cuba, Jnmnica, Puerto Rico,
and St. Croix. l\ridely planted and naturalized
in tropical regions, including the Old World.
OTHER COJfJION ~~am~.-~lamuche (A~~x~co
commerce) ; ingn dulce (Cuba) ; guamGchi1 (Mexico)
; jnguny, shahuay, madre de flecha (Guatemnln)
; mongollano, gunchimol, espino, guayaciin
blnnco (El Salvador) ; moclligiiiste (Costa Ricn) ;
gnllinero, chininango, tiraco, chnnchn (Colombia) ;
yncnre, gunmo blanco, unmacho (Venezuela) ;
blackbend, apes-earring f~nited States) ; gu?mucllil,
Manila-tamarind, Rittdrns-thorn (English) ;
brend-and-cheese (British Guiana) .
This species was named and described botanictlllg
in 1795 from Coromnndel, India, where it
llttd been introduced. The specific name, meaning
sweet, doubtless refers to the edible seed pulp.
.\ related native shrub or small tree of coastal
tlrickots is uiin de gnto or cntclt~w blackbead
(I'ithecellobit~m unguia-cnfi (L.) Benth.), known
nlso as r01611, escnmbr6n colorttdo, and catclaw.
Tllis species with yellomish or pinkish flowers is
n~lt~ire from southern Florida to northern South
America.