Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

SPURGE FAMILY (EUPHORBIACEAE)
127. Grosella, Otaheite gooseberry-tree Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels*
A small tree cultivated for its edible sour fruits.
It is distin uished by: (1) the light ellow juicy
berries 3/-/8 f inch in diameter, somew 1 lat rounded
but broader than long and slightly 8- or 6-angled,
suggesting a diminutive squash, hanging down in
clusters from the branches* (2) the simple leaves
alternate in 2 rows along dender deciduous twigs
and appearing to be innate, ovate, 1-3 inches long
and %-I% inches Lad, short-pointed at apex
and rounded at base, on short petioles 4/8 inch long;
(3) stout twigs rough from rounded raised twig
scars; and (4) flowers minute and reddish or pink,
4-parted and 1/8-s/16 inch across, usually clustered
along slender axes back of leaves.
A yrendin deciduous tree attaining 20-30 feet
in height an d 6 inches in trunk diameter. The
reenish-gray bnrk is fissured and slightly scnly.
kner bark is pink and almost tasteless. The cons
icuous persistent twigs are 4/2 inch or more in
&&meter, brownish gray, green and slender at
apex.
The leaves hang down from or pinkishtinged
twigs 6-12 inches long w ich appear to be
axes of pinnate leaves and which shed from the
like leaves. Blades are thin, green and
slightly stout twi?s s my above, and benenth pale blue green
with a bloom. At base of each leaf are 2 minute
pointed scales (stipules) .
Flowers are borne mostly on slender leafless axes
(panicles) 2-5 inches long, severnl clustered together
on short stalks. Male and female flowers
are mixed in the same clusters (monoecious) and
have 4 spreading calyx lobes about '/la inch long
but lack petals. There are 4 stamens also in male
flowers, and in female flowers a pistil with 4- or
3-celled ovary and 4 or 3 st les.
Fruits hang down in c T usters, several along a
slender drooping axis. The fruit contains a
brownish stone with few seeds. Flowering and
fruitinp nearly through the year, fruiting chiefly
in April and August.
The henrtwood is reddish brown, moderately
hardl fine- mined, of medium weight (specific
gravit 0.6f strong, to~~gh, and fibrous. It is snid
to be B urnble and to take a ood polish but, seldom
being available, is little usef
Widely planted in tropical regions for the juicy
sour fruits, which can be eaten raw but usually
are made into jelly, preserves, candy, and pickles.
The root and seed have been used in medicines.
Introduced into the West Indies in 1703.
Cultivated and also spreading along roadsides
and waste places, chiefly in the coastal regions of
Puerto Rico. Also in St. Croix, St. Thomas, St.
John, and Tortola.
RANGE.-Native of tropical Asia and perhaps
also East Indies but extensively introduced and
spontaneous and sometimes naturalized in tropical
regions. Southern Florida, through West Indies
from Bahamas and Cuba to Trinidad, Mexico,
Central America, and South America.
OTHER
CoBxnxoN NAI~ES.--C~~~Z~
amarilla, cerezo
agrio, grosella blancn (Puerto Rico) ; grosella
(Spanish) ;.guinda, pimienta (El Salvador) ; p-
sella de Nicaragua (Nicnragua) ; cerezo agrio,
cerezn (Venezuela) ; Otaheite gooseberry-tree,
Otaheite-gooseberry, star-gooseberry , West-Indian-gooseberry,
gooseberry-tree, jjmbling (United
States, English) ; wild-plum (British Honduras) ;
wild gooseberry (British Guiana) ; sybilline
(Haiti) ; surelle (St. BarthOlemy) ; pomme surelle
(Guadeloupe) ; gooseberry (Dutch West Indies) ;
goesberie (Surinam) ; roselle (Brazil).
BOTANICAL ~~~o#~~x8.-PhyZZantItrn distiihu~
(L.) Muel1.-Arg., Cicca disticha L., C. acida (L.)
Merr.
This species is botanically unrelated to the true
gooseberry, which is a prickly bush (Ribee grosm-
7nria L., family Saxifragmeae) grown in temperate
regions and having fruits with similar
flavor.
The genus sometimes divided into several, is
represented also by 2 native tree species, 1 of which
is illustrnted here, and by 6 species of herbs and
shrubs. Jagiierillo (PhyZZanthzis juglandifoldus
7Villd.; synonyms P. grandifolius auth., not L.,
-4etcrnndra gradifolia auth.), known also as tobillo
and gnmo de costa, is n small tree with larger
oblong or lance-shaped leaves 2-6 inches long.