Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

0.6), strong, and reported to be durable. Used
chiefly for fuel or fenceposts in Puerto Rico. In
Cubn the wood is employed for piling.
Planted as an ornamental in southern Florida
nnd Cubn. Also a honey plant. The root and
fruit reportedly have insecticidal properties.
Along streams nnd in young forests in thq moist
~astal, moist limestone, and lower mountain forest
regions of Puerto Rico.
PUBLIC ~o~~sl-s.-Cambalache, Guajataca, Lucluillo,
Susda.
RANGE.-Through West Indies from Cubn and
Jamaica to Grenada and Trinidad. Also from
southern Mexico (Tabasco) , Guatemala, and British
Honduras to Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas,
and Brazil. Introduced in southern Florida
and Cuba.
OTHER COMMON NAIIIES.-P~~O hediondo, forteventura,
genogen?? ~ l seco o (Puerto Rico) ;
pnml de costa, fri~olillo amarillo, paml macho
(Cuba) ; lnataboy (Guatemala) ; cincho (Hon-
duras) ; gunpaste, cuapnste (Nicaragua) ; coto
(Costa Rica) ; wurutG, mahomo, jebe (Venezu-
eln) ; savonette (St. Lucia) ; white savonette,
savonette jaune (Trinidad ; lancewood United
States); swamp dogwoo d , dogwood [British
Honduras) ; dogwood (Cmal Zone) ; savonette
grand bois, savonnette grandes feuilles, savon-
nette riviEre (Guadeloupe, Martinique) .
Two other species of this genus are native and a
few others have been planted experimentally.
Genogeno (Lonchocarpl~ domingemia (Pers.)
DC.), of western and southern Puerto Rico, has
leathery pods deeply narrowed between the seeds,
long-pointed leaflets hairy beneath, and twigs
finely hairy.
Geno (Lonchocarpw q2nucifolius Urban),
known only from western Puerto Rico, has narrow
leathery pods not or only slightly narrowed be-
tween seeds, leaflets whitish beneath and notched
at apex, and twigs hairless.
LEGUME FAMILY (LEGUMINOSAE)
PEA SUBFAMILY (LOTOIDEAE; FABACEAE)
87. Palo de matos Ormosia krugii Urban
A tree of mountain forests characterized by : (1) low, 2 wings, and 2 keel petals; 10 separate and
clean, light tan, smoothish bark; (2) young twigs unequal stamens; and pistil 6/s inch long with flab
finely brown hairy; (3) very large pinnate leaves tened brown-hairy 1-celled ovary and slender
1%-3 feet Ion consisting of 7 or 9 (sometimes 5) curved style.
stout-stalked, F~rge, elliptic, dull p n ledlets with The brown pods are E&Ja/, inch wide, slightly
abrupt minute point at rounded apex, paired ex- keeled, long-pointed at both ends, and with calyx
cept at end; (4) many pen-shaped dark violet remaining at base. There are 1-5 seeds, rounded
flowers S/g inch long in terminal or latern1 clusters; but slightly flattened. Recorded in flower from
and (5) brown pod 11h-4 inches long, deeply nar- September to November and in fruit from May to
rowed between the rounded seeds, which are s/s November.
inch in diameter and shiny scarlet red usually with The sapwood is yellowish, and the heartwood a
1 or more black spots. uniform salmon color with occasional darker
A medium-sized evergreen tree 30-60 feet high streaks. The wood is somewhat coarse-textured,
and to 2 feet in trunk diameter, with broad crown. of medium weight (specific gravity 0.50), with in-
The bark becomes scaly on large trees. Twigs distinct growth rings, and large open pores. It is
are stout and greenish. Young leaves, branches very susceptible to damage by dry-wood termites.
of flower clusters, calyx, and pods are finely brown The rate of air-seasoning is slow, and amount of
hairy. degrade is moderate. Machining characteristics
The alternate leaves have a stout p n axis are as follows: planing, shaping, sanding, and rekeeled
above and swollen at base. The green leaf- sistance to screw splitting are good; turning, borlet
stalks are S/8J/s inch long, longer on the ter- ing, and mortising are fair.
minal leaflet. Blades are 3-12 inches long and The wood is used chiefly for fuel in Puerto Rico.
11h-8 inches wide, the base rounded or short- However, it should be suitable for furniture, millpointed,
not toothed on e d ~ strondy , ~innabl~ work, construction, boxes, crates, and general
veined with many parallel lateral veins slightly
sunken, slightly thickened, the upper surfam dull B~~~~~ of the rapid grodh vigorous
gmen, and the lower surfme paler and incons~icuously
fine hairy, especial1 on the veins.
sprouting of the trees in secondary foresb,
Flower clusters (panic 7 es) are 6-12 inches long, are being made to find a better use for the wood.
branched, and many-flom-ered. The short-stalked Apparently the trees are shallow rooted and asi1y
flower has a brown hairy bell-shaped calyx more blown over, as many are leaning or Prostratethan
s/s inch long, including unequal pointed teeth ; Possibly suited for shade or Ornament.
5 dark violet petals about 5/8 inch long, including Found in secondary forests in the lower Luquillo
broad rounded standard spotted with whiB or yel- and lower Cordillera forest regions of Puerto Rim.
200