Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

LEGUME FAMILY (LEGUMINOSAE)
MIMOSA SUBFAMILY (MIA dOSOIDEAE; MIMOSACEAE)
69. SamBn, raintree
Pithecellobiurn saman (Jacq.) Benth*
This well-known beautiful shade tree reaches
large size both in trunk diameter and in n very
broad arched crown. It is further identified by:
(1) twice pinnate leaves (bipinnate) with many
nearly diamond-shaped leaflets 3/4-1% inches long
and 3/-3h inch broad, the s~des unequal, the outer
leaflets considerably larger than the otll~rs, and
the pairs of leaflets folding together at nlght and
on cloudy days; (2) delicate flower heads 2%
inches across and 11, inches high, a mass of numerous
threadlike stamens pink in outer half nnd
white in inner half; and (3) flattened brown or
blackish pods 4-8 inches long, about 5/g-3/4 inch
wide, and inch thick, straight or a little curved,
with sweetish pulp, late in splitting open.
An evergreen tree attaining 50-65 feet in height,
with a relatively short stout trunk up to 4 feet in
diameter. Crown of long, stout, horizontal
brnnches is broader than tall, becoming 100 feet
or more across. The gray bark js rough, furrowed
into long thin plates or corky ridges. Inner bark
is pink or light brown, bitter. The stout greenish
twigs are minutely hairy.
The alternate leaves are about 10-16 inches long.
The axis and 2-6 pairs of branches (pinnne) are
green and finely hairy with swelling at base of each
and a gland dot on axis where branches join.
Each branch (pinna) bears 6-16 paired stalkless
leaflets with a gland dot between each pair.
Branches toward apex are longer and with more
leaflets. Leaflet blades are blunt and with a
minute point at apex, short-ppinted at base, the
edges not toothed, slightly thickened? the upper
surface shiny green and with veins ralsed a little,
and the lower surface paler and finely hairy.
Severnl flower clusters (heads or umbels) are
lateral near end of a twig, each on a green hairy
stalk 21/24 inches long and composed of mnny
narrow tubular flowers, pinkish, tinged with p n ,
short-stalked. The narrow green cnlys is tubular,
about 1/4 inch long, 5-toothed, and finely hairy; the
narrow pink nnd greenisll-tinged corolla
inch long is also tubulnr, &lobed, and finely ha~ry ;
the many stamens united in tube near bnse have
spreading, very long, thratdlilre filaments about
1% inches long and dotlike anthers, soon wilting
and shriveling ; and the pistil consisting of 1-celled
light green ovary inch long and a threadlike
pinkish style 14% inches long.
The hard seed ods have a raised border. They
contain severti1 o 6 long reddish-brown seeds about
5/16 inch long (about 2,500 to a pound). Flowering
from spring to fall. fruit~ng from fall to
winter.
Tho sapwoocl is tlii~i ancl yellowish, and the
lieartwood dark cliocoltlte brown when freshly cut,
becoming attractive light to golden brown with
darker stlwtks. The wood is soft, lightweight
(specific gravity 0.44), of medium to coarse texture,
nnd fairly strong. It is durnble to very durable
in respect to decay and resistant to dry-wood
termites. It takes a beautiful finish but is often
cross-grained and difficult to work. The rate of
air-seasoning is moderate, and amount of de-pade
is considerable. Machining characteristics are as
follows: planing, mortising, sanding, and resistance
to screw splitting are good; shaping and baring
are fnir ; and turning is poor.
Elsewhere the mood has been employed occasionally
for furniture, interior trim, and general
construction. It is suitable also for boxes and
crates, veneer, plywood, and paneling. In Central
Ariierica cross sections of thick trunks have served
ns wheels of ox carts.
The trees in Puerto Rico are valued mainly for
shade and beauty. The nutritious pods are relished
by cattle, hogs, and goats and have a flavor
like licorice, which some persons like. A honey
plant. In a few countries samh hns been employed
as shade in plantations of coffee and cacao,
though less at present than formerly. Because of
their enormous growth the trees compete heavily
for water and soil nutrients, injuring the shrubs.
Easily propagated from seed and cuttings and
of rapid growth. Cattle dissemin~te the seeds in
pastures. A famous giant in Trinidad more than
100 years old was measured as 8 feet in trunk diameter,
147 feet high, and 187 feet in spread.
Sometimes tiws become topheavy and dangerous
along high~vays and near houses. The many surface
roots may also be objectionable. Perhaps better
suited to dry rather than moist localities, being
of smaller size in arid laces.
Cultivated along ? lighways and streets and
planted and naturalized as a pasture shade tree
in both the moist and dry coastal regions and in
the lower Cordillera region of Puerto Rico. Also
in St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola.
RANGE.-Native from Mexico (Yucatan Peninsula)
and Guatemala to Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil.
Widely planted and naturalized elsewhere in
cont,inental tropical America from Mexico southward,
throughout the West Indies (except Bahamas),
and rn Old World tropics. Grown also in
southern Florida.
OTHER COMMON ~~~m.---dormil6n pango
(Puerto Rico) ; licorice giant tibet ($irgin Islands)
; samiin (~~anisil) ; algambo, algambo
clel pais (Cuba) ; algarrobo (Mexico, Guatemala) ;
cenicero (Guatemala, El Savador, Costa Rica) ;
carreto, zorm (El Salvador) ; samaguare, campaiio,
genizaro (Colombia) ; lam urero, carabali
(Venezuela) ; huacamayo-chico (beru) ; raintree,
saman (Engl~sh) ; gunngo (Jamaica) ; cow-tama-