Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

MAHOGANY FAMILY (MELIACEAE)
Key to the 7 species illustrnted (Xos. 1-114)
A. Leaves biplnnate, leaflets mith toothed margins--110. Melia aredarach.*
AA. Leaves pinnate ; lentlets not toothed.
B. Leaflets all paired (even pinnate), asymmetrical.
C. Leaflets mostly mnny, 10 or more.
D. Leaflets 10-10 (sometimes 30), vein8 not sunken; flowere and fruit 5-pnrted-108. Oedrela odmta.
DD. Leaflets 8-20, veins sunken ; flowers and fruit 4-~wrted-100. Guarea trichilioidee.
CO. Leaflets 4-12.
E. Laflets 254-43 inches long-111. 8wicter1ia rnacropL~lla.*
EE. Leaflets 1-211(2 inclles long-112. Bzcietetria t#~alrago~tf.*
BB. Leaflets of odd number (odd pinnate).
F. Leaflets 7-21, symmetrical, about equal in size, veins slightly sunken-113. Trfchilb hirta.
FF. Leaflets 3 or 5 (son~etlmes 7). as~.llllnetricItl, the enci leaflet largest and lowest leaflets smallest: veins
much sunken, causing a wrinkled appenrnn+lll. Trfchflia pallida.
108. Cedro hembra, Spanish-cedar Cedrela odorata L
This native tree mith valuable aromatic wood is
distinguished by : (1) the alternate, long, even pinnate
leaves 1-2 feet or more in length with 10-22
paired lance-shaped, oblong, or ovate leaflets longpointed
at apex and oblique at the rounded or
short-pointed bnse ; (2) ~nany narrow yellow-pn
flowers 1/4-3/g inch long, appearing tubular but
with 5 nnrrow petals, in long loose spreading terminal
clusters; (3) brown elliptic seed capsules
about 1-1% inches long and % inch in diameter,
splitting widely into 5 parts and releasing many
long-winged seeds; and (4) the odor of garlic in
flowers, crushed leaves, and cut twigs, and garlic
taste in twigs and bark.
A large deci'duous tree 40-100 feet high and 1-3
feet in trunk diameter, sometimes with slight buttresses
nt base, and with large rounded or tall
crown. The gray or brown bark is thick, becoming
rough and furrowed. Inner bark is light
bran-n to pinkish with bitter task of garlic. Tho
stout grny-brown twigs have raised brown dots
(lenticels) and large prominent rounded leaf scars.
The laves have n greenish-brown round axis
bearing the leaflets on slender stalks inch
long. Leaflet blades are 2-6 inches long and 1-21/,
incl~es wide, slightly curved, not toothed on edges,
thin, hairless, green and slightly shiny on upper
surface and dull green beneath. The lateral veins,
which often are slightly s~lnlren in upper surface,
commonly are nearly parallel with midrib for a
minute distance at base before forking at a wide
nngle. .
The flower clusters (panicles) 6-16 inches long
bear many flowers on slender, usually hairless
brnnches. Flowers have a calyx more than x6 inch
long in form of cup, irregularly toothed and split
on 1 side, hairless;. yellow-green corolla about
9/16 inch long, appear~ng tubular but with 5 nnrrow
oblong petals, mlnutely hairy on outside, united to
the disk like a tube; 5 stamens with filaments attached
on the narrow columnar disk, shorter than
petals; and also on the disk the pistil v8 inch long
including 5-celled ovary, .style, and rounded
stigma.
The woody seed capsule is rounded at both ends.
It has a central 5-angled axis with broad apex, to
~vhicli are attached many long-winged seeds s/4
inch long, about 18,000 per pound.
from June to August, the fruits maturing an
romnining on the tree in fall and winter.
Sapwood is whitish to lidit brown, the henrtwood
light brown to reddish brown with prominent
growth rings (semi-ring- orous). The mood
resembles mnhognny (caoba) 6 ut has the charncteristic
frng~ant odor of Spanish-cedar (cedro)
and a bitter taste. It is soft, liglltweight (specific
grnvit 0.45), strong, easily worked, and takes n
rY
smoot 1 polish. It is durable, resistant to dry-wood
termites, and not attacked by other insects. Rate
of air-seasoning is rapid, nnd amount of degrade
is minor. hlncllining characteristics are as fol-
lows : planing, shaping, mortising? and sanding are
good ; txrning is fair ; and boring IS poor.
Spanish-cedar or cedro (Cedrela) including 7
or more species with similar woods is widely dis-
tributed in the New World from West Indies and
Mexico south to Argentina (except Chile). It is
the most important timber for local use in tropical
America, the lumber being used extensively for
general construction, carpentry, and suitable for
mnny other purposes. This fine cabinet wood is
preferred for furniture, cabinetmaking, cnrpentry,
doors nnd mindom, interior trim, shelves, carved
fignres, etc. Being resistant to insects and aro-
matic, the wood is a favorite for chests and ward-
robes. Elsewhere it is used also for veneer, ply-
wood, and boat parts. In the pnst, qunntities mere
exported to the United States and other countries
for cigtrboxes, but no\\. little is used for this pur-
pose. Indians made dugout canoes from the
trunks and paddles from the wood. The astringent
bark has been employed in home remedies.
This and related species are commonly grown
in tropical America as handsome shade trees along
streets and highways, in parks, and pastures, and
in plantations of coffee and cncao. Also a honey
plant.
Because of the valuable mood the native trees of
this species have been reduced to scattered remote