Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

MALPIGHIA FAMILY (MALPIGHLACEAE)
116. Maricao cimarrdn Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) H. B. K.
This small crooked tree or slir~~b of dry forests
is cliamcterized by: (1) opposite, mostly elliptic
lenres ILl/z-5 inches long and 1-2 inches broad,
short- pointed at apes and base, leathery and with
proniinent veins; (2) the young twigs, flower
stalks, petioles, and very young leaves covered mith
fine, rusty-red 1iai1-s; (3) tlie flowers 5/g-% inch
across with 5 roundecl yello\v petnls narrowed into
long stalks, in terminal clusters on stalks which
curve clo\~nmnrcl ; nncl (4) tlie netirly round yellow
fruits % inch or less in dinmeter, sour but edible.
A small evergreen tree or shrub attaining 15-25
feet in height and 10 inches in tritnk diameter,
with open, wide sprending cro~vn. Tlie bulk is
gray to dnrk brown, becoming tliick and very
rouvli, with irlvgular large marts. The inner
bnrk, more tlinn 36 incli tliick, is streaked with
pink and red, and is bitter.
The leaves, mith petioles 3/8-5/8 inch long, are
vtlrinble in shape and size, edges not toothed,
upper surface green, sliglitly shiny, and almost
hairless nt mnturity, n~icl lower surface light green
tlnd mitli larger veins lusty-red hairy or nearly
linirless.
Flower clusters (nrcemes) are 3-4 inches long.
The ninny yellow flowers are borne along the erect
rusty hairy axis on flower stallts 3/8-1/2 inch long
and curved do\vn\rard, also rusty hairy. The
calyx is pale yellow, rusty hairy, 3/10 incli long,
5-lobed wit11 10 oblong glands nt base outside; the
5 bright yello\\. petnls widely spreading, %-3/s
i~icli long, nearly round but narrowed into long
stalks; 10 pale yellotr stti~nens 1/8 inch long; and
plile green pistil lh iilicll loner including 3-celled
ovary with 3 slender styles. 'i'lle fruits (drupes)
:ire jnic.y anil have u lnrge stone. Flowering and
fruiting from spring to fnll.
The reddish-bro~vn wood is harcl, heavy (specific
gmvity 0.7), strong but brittle, and only mderntely
durable. Considered suiteil for construction,
though @nerally too small, and in other places
burned for charcoal.
The fruits are eaten rnw or cooked or prepared
in a drink like lemonade nnd nre cons~llned by
hogs aiicl other nniiiials, do~iiestic nnd wild. In
Ilesico anil Centrnl America the trees a12 planted
for tlie fruits, \\-liicli nre Inrger nncl different in appenrnnce.
-4 liglit brown dye for cotton textiles is
estrticted from the fruit rinil in Gnntemala. Because
of their many golden flowers the plnnts are
classed ns or~ia~nentals and linre been introduced
for tliis purpose in soutliern Floriiln. Also reported
to be honey p1:lnts. Tlie bark ]ins been employecl
for tanning and in home re~nedies.
This species is found chiefly in open forests of
tlie lower Corclillen forest regions in soutli\t-estern
n~id western Puei.to Rico.
I'UBLIC FOREST.-SusGa.
RAXOE.-Cuba, Hispaniola, Pr~erto Rico, St.
hlnrtin, Dominica, Barbados, Trinidncl, and Cum-
Cao. Also from southern AIexico to Peru, Bolivia,
Pnr~ig~ay, Bmzil, ancl Guianas. Planted in
so~~tllern Florida.
In some parts of its rnnge, such ns the savannas
of Cr~bn and the llnnos of Colombin nnd Venezuela,
tliis tree is IL coinillon nncl clit~~ncteristic shrubby
t ree on the grassy plains. Some authors linre distingnislieci
varieties of tliis ~vidcly distributed species
\vliose leaves vary iii shape, s~ze, and hairiness.
OTHER COBIJIOX ~~ar~s.-mnricno rerde, pernlejo,
peinlejo blanco (Puerto Rico) ; donceln
(comnierce) ; pernlejo, niaricno (Dominican Repnblic)
; pernlejo, pemlejo de snbnnn (Cuba) ;
n~i~iclle, nnnce, nance agrio, chi, chnngugo (blexico)
; nnncc, nancite (Centrnl America) ; chi, tapnl
(Guntemnla) ; nancito, crnbo (Hondurns) ; nance
vercle (El Salvailor) ; wilcl-cherry (Paiiamn) ;
clirparro, clittparro rnnntecn, yuco, pernlejn, nor0
(Colombia) ; cliapnrro manteco, chnparro de sabttna,
manteco, mnnteco mercy, mnnero (Veneznels)
; savnnnn seri.ette (Trinidnd) ; craboo,
crt~poo, \\-ilcl crnboo (Iiritish Hondurns) ; huria
(British Guiuna) ; snbana kwnri moeleidan, hori,
snbann mango (Surinam).