Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

BURSERA FAMILY (BURSERACEAE)
Key to the 3 native species, all illustrated (Nos. 105-107)
A. Leaflets asymmetrical at base, less than 3 inches long ; flowers 5-parted-105. Buruera ulmaruba.
AA. Leaflets symmetrical at base, 2W-7 inches long.
B. Leaflets short-pointed or rou~ided at both ends; flowers 3-parted-106. Dacryodes exeelsa.
BB. Leaflets long-pointed at apex, short-pointed at base; flowers 4-parted-107.
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Tetragastria balsamilera.
105. Almlcigo, turpentine-tree, gumbo-limbo
Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg.
This spreading aromatic tree is wily recog- and mortising are very poor; boring is poor; and
nized by tlle smooth reddish-brown or copper- i.esistnnce to screw splitting is excellent.
colored bark, which peels off in papery flakes and The \t700d is suited for boxes, crates,. cement
exposes the greenish-brown layer beneath. Other forms, interior carpentry, light construction, firedistinguishing
characteristics are: (1) a gmyish wood, and charcoal. Other products made elseresin
with t'nste like turpentine which exudes from where are matches, match boxes, toothpicks, and
cuts in the bark; (2) the slightly pungent or tur- utility ply~vood.
pentine odor of crushed leaves and fruits and cut The aromatic resin known as Chibou, Cachibou
twigs; (3) the pinnate leaves with 5 or 7 (some- resin, or Gomart resin, has been employed in dotimes
3) oblong to ovate leaflets 1%-3 inches long, mestic medicines and as glue, varnish, coating for
abruptly short-pointed at apex and broad and canoes, and incense. A tea substitute has been preoblique
at base, and (4) the many small whitish or pared from the leaves.
yellon~ish-,pen 5-parted flowers about 3/ls inch The trees are used in Puerto Rim chiefl for livacross.
ing fenceposts, being easily propagated 9 rom cut-
A medium-sized deciduous tree 2040 feet high tings and posts. They are also planted along road.
with relatively thick trunk 1-2 feet or more in di- sides and in hedges and can serve also as livin
ameter, large spreading crooked branches, and thin telegraph poles. Because of the attractive colore f
foliage. The bark is about inch thick, the inner bark, the trees have been planted as ornamentals
bark whitish or reddish, soft, and almost tasteless. in dry soils of southern Florida, where they are
Twigs are brownish green, becoming light brown. also native.
Leaves are alternate and 4-8 inches long. The Native to tlle soils derived from limestone in
leaflets are paired except for the end one, short- Puerto Rico but seen as a fence row and roadside
stalked, oblong to ovate, inches broad, tree in the coastal and lower mountain regions.
slightly thickened, edges not toothed, mostly hair- Also in Mona, Desecheo, Icncos, Culebra, Vieques,
less, green or dark green and slightly shiny above, St. Crois, St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola. A
and paler beneath.
few trees of this species in the thorn scrub at the
Flower clusters (panicles) are terminal and lat- eastern end of St. 'Croix are the easternmost trees
eral, branched and narrow, and 2-6 inches long. in United States territory.
The flowers on slender, usunlly short stalks are PUBLIC ~on~s-rs.-Apirre, Cambalache, Guajamostly
male and female on different trees or taca, Gulinica, Maricao, Rio Abajo, Susfia, Vega! bud
some flowers bisexual (polygamous). Calyx is MUNICIPALITIES WIIERE ESPECIALLY COBLBION.-
5-toothed; petals 5; stamens 10; and pistil with 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 32, 36, 38,
3-celled ovary, short style, and 3-lobed stigma. 44,54, K,Gl 66,68,75.
The fruits (drupelike) are diamond-shaped, RAXGE.-douthern Florida including Florida
slightly 3-an led, pointed at both ends, about 4/2 Ice s and almost throughout FVest Indies from
inch long an% W6 inch broad, dark pink,??litting ~aiamas and Cuba to Trinidad and Tobago and
into 3 parts, with usually one 3-angled wh~tish seed Curaqao and Arubn. Also from Mexico to Colom-
3/g inch long. Flowers and fruits appearing usual- bia, Venezuela, and British Guinna.
ly in spring before or with the new leaves, some- OTI~ER coararo~ NAMES.-West-Indian-birch,
times in summer.
gommier (Virgin Islands) ; almlcigo (Spanish,
Both sap~md and heart\vood are a uniform commerce) ; indio desnudo (Spanish) ; almticigo
cream to light brown color, thoug11 turning bluish blanco, almbcigo colorado (Dominican Republic) ;
gray because of sap-staining. The wood is light- almticigo. almucigo colorado (Cuba) ; mulato, palo
weight (specific gravity 0.29), fine-textured, soft, mulnto, chaca, palo retinto (Mexico) ; jiots, palo
weak, with strong odor, the growth rings absent jiote (AIexico, Guatemala, Hondurns, El Salvaor
indistinct. It is very susceptible to attack by dor) ; chino, chinacahuite, palo chino, chaca, chicdry-wood
termites and other insects and is very chica, palo pulato (Guatemala) ; chinacuite, jeneperishable.
Sap stain develops in freshly cut logs quite, chino, rlo chino cop6n, pala mulato, torchunless
milled immediately and the lumber is mood (Hon urns); jkocuabo, jiiiicuite (Nicadipped
in an xntistain solution before piling. Rate ragua) ; jiiiote, caraiia, jiiiocuavo (Costa Rica) ;
of air-seasoning is rapid, and amount of degrade is almlclgo, carate (Panama) ; alr?licigo, caratero,
minor. Machining characteristics are as follows : phcimo, resbalo mono (Colombia) ; job0 pelhn,
planing and sanding are good; shaping, turning, caraiia, pellejo de indio, mara, cucheme, palo de