Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

tack by dry-wood termites, but the sapwood is
ver susceptible to decay and insects. From West
1nc8es mahogany the I\-oocl differs in being more
open-grained, liwllter in weight, and softer.
This is one ofthe commonest roods for fsmiture
manufacture and cabinetmaking ~n Puel-to
Rico, being imported in large quantities from hiexico
as rough lumber. Limited amounts of small
logs come from local plantations also. Other uses
mostly elsewhere include face veneer, interior
trim, ppneling, burial caskets, interiors of boats
and shlps, turning, musical instruments, molds,
dies, and patternmaking.
This species is now much more important commercially
than West Indies mahogany, because of
its more extensive mnge in Central and South
America and its delayed utilization. British Honduras
was established as a colony for the prized
timbers of mahogany and lopood. Timber exported
from other tropical American countries is
often designated by the count~y of orig~n, for
example, Brazilian mahogany.
With straight tall trunk and few branches, this
is n llandsome street and shade tree in tropical
countries, also producing valuable timber. The
bark is high in tannin content. Also reported to
be a honey plant.
Planted extensively in the public forests of '
Puerto Rico and as a shade tree in patios and
along roadsides in Puerto Rico and St. Croix ancl
perhaps others of the Virgin Islands. One of the
most promising species for forestry on welldrained
deep sods in the lower mountain and moist
limestone regions of Puerto Rico. It withstancls
shade, grows rnpidly, and produces a tree of good
form.
PURLTC ~0~~~~6.-Camb%lache, Carite, Guajataca,
Guilarte, Luquillo, Erlaricao, Rio Abajo,
Susiia, Toro Negro.
MAHOGANY FAMILY (MELIACEAE)
RANGE.-Southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Veracruz,
Tab:tsco, and Yncnt::ln Peninsula southward), At-
lantic slope of Central America from British Hon-
duras to Panama, and in Colombia, Venezuela, and
portions of upper Amazon region in Peru, Bolivia,
:tnd Brazil. Until about 1923 it was not known
from the Amazon region, where a large supply of
timber occurs in the virgin forests. Introduced
into southern Florida, Puerto Rim and Virgin Is-
lands, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, India, and
other tropical areas.
OTIIEK coJfarow N,~~\LEs.--c~o~% de Honduras
(Puerto Rico) ; broadleaf mahogany, bigleaf mahogany,
Central American mahogan (Virgin
Islands) ; caobn, caobn llondurefia hpanish) ;
chacalte (Guatemala) ; caoba americana (Colombin)
; aguano (Peru) ; mahogany, Honduras mahogany,
British Honduras mahogan Venezuelan
mahognny, Peruvian mahogany, Jiazilian mal~ogany
(United States, English, commerce) ;
acajou Am6rique (French, commerce) ; mahogany
Honduras (Guadeloupe, blartinique) ; acajou du
Honduras (Guitdeloupe) .
~~OTL~NICAIZ
SYNONYMR.-Stoietenia candollei
Pittier (caoba venezolana, TTenzuelan mahogany),
8. belizensis Lundell, S. krtiAovii Glensou & Pan-
shin, S. tessm-~nnii Harms.
What is believed to be n natural hybrid between
this and the following species (Swietenia macro-
phyll. X mahagmi) is found in St. Croix. Where
trees of the 2 species have been planted together,
some of the seedlings are intermediate in appear-
nnce. Tlie intermediate is known locally as me-
diumleaf mahogany because the leaflet width is be-
tween that of the parent species. In preliminary
experiments the plants grow rapidly and rtppar-
ently sho\r hybrid vigor. Also, the wood is of high
quality like that of the second species.
112. Caoba dominicana, Dominican mahogany, West Indies mahogany Swietenia mahagoni Jacq.*
West Indies mahogany is commonly planted in
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands though not
native. This first,-discovered species of mahog-
any, the world's premier cabinet wood, is easily
recognized by : (1) its distinctive leaves, alternate
and even pinnate, 4-7 inches long, bearing 4-10
paired shiny green leaflets, orate to lance-shaped,
1-21/2 inches long and l/2-y8 inch broad, long-
pointed and very conspicuously unequal-sided;
and (2) the odd, egg-shaped or pear-shaped, dark
brown erect seed capsules 21/24 inches long and
11h-2 inches in diameter, hard and thick-walled,
splitting upward from the base into 5 parts and
releasing many flat long-winged seeds.
A medium-sized to large deciduous tree wit11
maximum size 40-60 feet in height and 34% feet
in trunlr diameter. The t,runk is usually short and
has swollen or b~tt~ressed base when large, and
reduces a spreading, much-branched crown.
Rark on small trees is smoothish, slightly fissured,
and gray, becoming. dark reddish brown and scaly
on large trunks. The inner bark is pink and bitter.
Young twigs are pale red, becoming brownish
pay with many raised dots (lenticels).
Leaflets are borne along n slender yellowaxis
on slender stalks less than j/4 inch gr- ong.
Theso leaflets have the inner or upper edge
rounded at base but edges not toothed, are slightly
thickened or leathery, shiny peen above a?d paler
beneath, and have n reddish-brown midrlb.
The flower clusters (panicles) are lateral, 2-6
inches long, and branched. Several to many small