Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

SPURGE FAMILY (EUPHORBIACEAE)
123. Yaiti, oysterwood Gymnanthes lucida Sw.
This poisonous small tree or shrub is chamterized
b : (1) poisonous milky juice which may irritate
t E e skin; (2) slightly thickened stiff shiny
leaves reverse lance-shaped (oblancsolate) to nearly
spoon-sha ed (spatulate), broadest beyond
middle, roun 5 ed or blunt-pointed at apex and
tapering and long-pointed at base, often with a
few small teeth toward the apex; (3) scaly or
flaky bark on older trees ; and (4) small yellowishgreen
lateral flowers, the male numerous along an
axis (narrow raceme) 1/2-1 inch or more in length
and usually 1 female flower at the base (monoecious)
.
An evergreen tree becoming 30 feet high and 8
inches in trunk diameter, wlth a narrow crown.
The bark is gray or brown, smoothish on young
trees with man thin fissures. Inner bark is light
brown and slivttly bitter. The gray twigs, .green
when young, %ave man raised dots (lentimls).
T
The alternate leaves lave petioles 5/4-1/2 inch
long and leathery blades 11h-31/ inches long and
lh-l5/4 inches broad, green to Jark green above
and paler beneath. The edges are slightly turned
under, and veins are slightly raised in a prominent
network on the upper surface.
The crowded male flowers are borne 3 above a
scale (bract) on the axis, each minute (less than
'/sa inch long and broad) and conistin of a
smaller scale and 2-4 stamens. They are aintly
fragrant and attract bees. There is 1 female
flower (or none or sometimes 2) x6 inch long at
base of flower cluster, on a stalk y8 inch long which
lengtl~ens greatly in fruit, and consisting of 3
scales aiid $1 pistil composed of greenish 3-celled
ovary and 3 styles.
Rro\vn seed capsules, borne on slender stalks
5
1-2 inches long, are rounded but slightly %lobed
and broader than long about s/8 inch in diameter.
There are 3 or fewer bmrvn seed? s/,, inch long.
Flowering and fruiting from sprlng to fall.
The sap\vood is whitish or yellowish. The heart-
\~~oocl is light olive,. streaked with dark brown.
The wood is very fine-grained, very hard, very
heavy (specific gravity 1.1), takes a fine polish,
ttnd IS durable.
Used in Puerto Rico for fenceposts, the gener-
ally small size limiting its values. The mood
has been made into various small novelties, includ-
in canes, handles, backs of brushes and mirrors,
an 5 ornamental articles shaped by woodturning.
The white latex is reported to produce infIam-
mation of the skin upon contact. It is said that
smoke from burnin wood is irritating to the eyes. .
Forests and thic f ets in both limestone regions
of Puerto Rico. .4lso in Mona, Desecheo Icacos,
Culebra, Vieques, St. Croix, St. Thomas, dt. John,
and Virgin Gorda.
PUBLIC I-'OREST~.-Cnmbalache, Guajataca,
Gulinictr.
MUNICIPALITY WHERE ESPECIALLY COMMON.^.
RANGE.-Southern Florida includin Florida
ICeys, Bahamas, Greater Antilles, an d northern
Lesser Antilles from St. Eustatius to Antigua and
Guadeloupe. Also in southeastern Mexico
(Yucattin), Guntemala, and British Honduras.
OTIIER conrarox ~anr~s.-rarn6n, +baco (Puerto
Rico) ; tabac