Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

PUBJ,IC ~%~m~s.-Carite, Guilarte, Luquillo, O ~ ~ COJ~J~ON E R NAMES.-matillo, mato, palo de
Toro Negro. peronias, peronia (Puerto Rico) ; peronia,. palo de
R,\N~E.-Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Re- peronia (Dominican Republic) ; malcaconler (Dopublic),
Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, and Dominica. minica).
LEGUME FAMILY (LEGUMINOSAE)
PEA SUBFAMILY (LOTOIDEAE; FABACEAE)
88. Tachuelo, fustic Pictetia aculeata (Vahl) Urban
This sinall tree of dry areas is easily identified with flowers on slender stalks. The bell-shaped
by : (1) spiny branches, usually several from the green calyx inch long is unequally 5-toothed ;
base; (2) odd pinnate leaves 21/2-41/2 inches lon there are 5 petals x-1 inch long, narrowed into
with 9-25 rounded or obovate leaflets %--3/4. incA stalks at base, the bright yellow standard nearly
long and broad, almost stalkless, each belnng round and curved backward, 2 bri ht yellow obyellowish
spiny or bristle tip x0-1/4 inch long at Ion wings, and 2 pale yellow peta
f
f s forming the
apex; (3) quantities of showy, bright yellow, pe?- lree ; 10 stamens 3/4-1 inch long, 9 united into a
shaped flowers 3/4-1 inch long, several together in tube and 1 separate and greenish pistil consisting
R lateral cluster; and (4) narrow flattened brown of stalked, narrow, hairy, 1-celled ovary and slenpqd
94-2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide, 2-0- der curved style. The slightly curved pod is finejointed.
ly hairy and does not split open. Flonyering and
A deciduous tree or shrub 10-20 feet high and to fruitingnearly through the year.
8 inclles in trunk diameter or larger. Formerly The sapwood is light brown, and the heart~ood
reported to 30 feet tall, but now rarely seen that dark brown. Resembling lipumvitae, the wood
size because most large individunls have been cut. is extremely hard, heavy (specific gravity 0.8),
Bark of shrubs is brown or gray and smooth with and durable. Used in Puerto Rico only for fencespines
remaining, on larger trunks separating in posts, since larger sizes are not now available, forlarge
flakes. Inner bark is yellowish and slightly merly also for larger poles.
bitter. The slender twigs are bro\~vn or green and Because of the numerous attractive yellow flowfinely
hairy when young. ers which beautify the countryside, this species is
The alternnte leaves have at base n pair of suitable as an ornamental for dry areas. Someslender
spines (stipules) 3/16-4/2 inch lon , brown- times grown as a living fencepost.
is11 but green when young, and a slen f er finely Co:lstal thickets and pnstures in the dry coastal
hairy axis. Leaflets are notched or nearly and dry limestone regions of Puerto Rico. Also
stmight at the spiny tip, rounded or sli~htl in Culebra, Vieques, St. Croiu, St. Thomas, St.
notched at base, bent up 011 both sides of mldrig Jolm, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and Anegada.
tlnd curved cIo\\-n at tip, not toothed on ed es, PUBLIC FORESTB.-~~~L~~~T~~,
Gulinica.
slightly thickened, finely hairy when young f >ut MUX'ICIPAI~I~ES wIrEm ESPECIALLY COMBLON.becoming
nearly hairless, and green and slightly 21,26,28,36,55,66,7.5.
shin on both surf aces. RANGE.-Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands and
~%wer clusters (racemes) are 1%3 inches long, reported from Hispaniola.