Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

COCA FAMILY .(ERYTHROXYLACEAE)
92. Indio Erythroxylon areolaturn L.
A small tree or shrub of dry areas characterized
by: (1) short-stalked elliptic leaves 1%-3 inches
long and 3/4-1% inches broad, minutely notched
at rot~ndecl apex and ~rith 2 faint lines nearly parallel
n-it11 midrib and more prominent on lower
surface; (2) small whitish flowers 3/16 inch across,
several together in lateral clusters mostly before
the leaves or at base of new leaves; and (3) fleshy
red oblong fruits 3i63/8 inch long, 1-seeded.
A deciduous tree or sllrub 8-20 feet high and
2-6 inches in trunk diameter. The pay bark is
fissured and scaly, inner bark red and slightly bitter.
Twigs y, the short lateral twigs often
nit11 old sca es where leaves and floivers were
borne.
P
The leaves are alternate but sometimes close
together on short lateral twigs. Petioles are S/le-
inch long and slender, nrith n pointed scale
(stipule) v8 inch long inside base. Blades are
broadly short-pointed at. base, not toothed on
edges, with 2 faint lines nearly parallel ~vith mid-
rib but converging with it at both ends, thin, drill
dark green above, and pale whitish green beneath.
Seveml fragrant flowers develop from a lateral
bud on twig, each on a slender stalk I,-% inch
long. There is a'B-to$l~ed green calyx less than
1/1, inch long; 5 white rounded spreading petals
1/8 inch long, each with a minute 2-lobed scale on
inner side; 10 stamens S6-L/g inch long, united in-
to a tube in lower part; and pistil about y8 inch
long mith 3-celled green ovary and 3 stxles. Some
flowers have long stamens and short styles, while
others have short stamens and long styles. Col-
lected in flower in different months fro .October
to June. The fruits (drupes) are ,qreen%en im-
mature but turn red and have thin flesli and 1 large
seed.
The sapwood is light brown and hard. Heartwood
is rich recldisll brown (the generic name
means red wood) or chocolate bron-n, with oily
appearance, vely fine-grained, and very hard. The
wood is heavy, strong, and highly durable but
available only in small sizes.
It is re orted that the leaves contain a small
amount o F cocaine. This drug is obtained from
the leaves of coca (Erythroxylon coca Lam.),. a
related species of the Andes of Peru and Bolivia.
Characteristic of thickets and forests on hills
from Ponce to Cabo Rojo, the dry coastal and dry
limestone regions of Pr~erto Rico. Also in Mona
and doubtfully recorded from St. Thomas.
PUBLIC FORESTS.-GU~L~~~~~C~, Guiinica.
RANGE.-TV~S~ Indies in Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica,
Hispaniola, Pnerto Rico, and Mona. Also
in southern Mexico (Tabasco to Yucntiin), Guatemala,
El Salvador, British Hondnras, and Honduras.
Reported from northern South America,
probably in error.
OTHER COMJION NABIES.-~~~O de hierro, cocaina
falsa, muerto, hierro negro (Puerto Rico) ;
piragua, fruta de paloma, arabo (Dominican Republm)
; arabo carbonero, arabo jiba, arabo real
(Cuba) ; limoncillo (Guatemala) ; thin-leaf erytthroxylon
(Raliamas) ; redwood (Jamaica) ; redwood,
ridge redwood, swamp redwood (British
Honduras) ; poirier, arabo (Haiti).
nus is represented b 3 additional
species This o pe sl~rubs or small trees, anJanother species
is a low shrub. ,Jibs (B~ythroxylon brevipes DC.)
has nearly stalkless obovate leaves less than 1 inch
long. RatGn (P. rotundifoliwm Lunan) has similar
leaves mith petioles Y8-lh inch long. E. rufum
Cav. has oblong leaves 91/24 inches long, slightly
thickened, with prominent network of veins.