Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

escaping from cultivation and naturalized almost
t.hroagllout Puerto Rico \\-it11 the exception of the
mangrove, dry limestone, and upper mountain
regions. Through the Virgin Islancls commonly
planted and also spontaneous except in the drier
areas. Mona, Culebra, Vieques, St. Croix, St.
Thomas, St. John, and Tortola.
RANGE.-Native of tropical Asia probably from
India enst to Vietnam. Planted and escaped from
cultivation throug1;hout the tropics, including
soritllern Florida and Florida Keys, West Indies,
r~nd from Mexico to Peru and Bmzil. Grown also
in southern California.
Thou h the exact date of introduction into the
New lforld is u~~eertnie, nlitllgo reportedly
reaclled Rlexico :und Rrrlzil before the end of the
17th century. About 1742 this fruit \\.as first introduced
into the West Indies at. Barbados from
Brazil and in 1782 reached ,Jamaica. It is thought
that mangos h:lve been cultivated by man for 4,000
years.
OTI~ER CO~IBION NAMES.-~~~~O, mnngd (Spanish)
; Inan o (United States, English) ; mangue,
mnnguier ~Frencll) ; man ot, mangotine (Guadeloupe)
; manggo, rntkngga f oom (Dutch) ; manja,
knjanna manjn, bobbie manja (Surinam) ; manga,
mango, mangueira (Brazil).
CASHEW FAMILY (ANACARDIACEAE)
132, Papayo, Florida poisontree Metopium toxiferum (L.) Krug & Urban
This small tree related to poison-ivy of the
United States, with caustic sa poisonous to the
touch, is abundant in Mona 6 ut uncommon in
Puerto Rico. It is cllnracterized by : (1) smoothis11
light gray bark mottled with yellow to brown
spots; (2) a broad rounded crown of widely
spreading stout branches; (3) pinnate leaves ~\-ith
usually 5 (3-7) mostly ovate leathery leaflets
blunt-pointed or sometimes minutely notched at
apex and nearly stmight at base on yellow-green
axes and leaflet stalks; (4) many small 5-parted
greenish flowers about 3/re inch across in branched
lateral clusters; and (5) numerous elli tic or oblong
fruits 3/g-g inch long and 3/4 inc i in diameter,
peen turning to orange brown at maturity.
An evergreen tree 15-20 feet in height and 6-12
inches in trunk diameter. The distinctive bark
peels off in thin scales or flakes, exposing the yellow
to brown thin inner layer. Inner bark is pinkish,
The stout twigs are bromn with mnny raised
orange-brown dots (lenticels) , finely hairy when
young. The poisonous watery sap turns black
upon drying.
The alternate leaves clustered near ends of twigs
are 6-11 inches long and have leaflet stallcs x-1
inch long. Leaflets are paired except the terminal
one. Leaflet blades are 1K-3% inches long and
1-2% inches broad, not toothed at edges, above
shiny green, and beneath yellow peen and sli htl
shiny or dull. Some leaflets have scattered flac f c
dots composed in part of black dried sap at in-
jured places.
The slender, narrow flower clusters (panicles)
at base of leaves are 6-10 inches long, bearing
flowers on short stalks. Flowers are mostly male
and female on different trees or partly bisexual
(polygamous). There are 5 rounded sepals l/sz
inch long, 5 yellow-green elliptic petals less than
1h inch long and with dark lines within, 5 stamens
56 inch long, and pistil (rudimentary in male
flowers) on a disk, consisting of 1-celled ovary,
short style, and slightly %lobed stigma.
Fruits (drupes) retain the sepals at base and
have 1 seed about I/q inch long. P~geons feed upon
the great quantities of fruits on i\fonn. Recorded
with flowers in Februnly :~nd with fruits in summer
and fall.
Sapv-ood is yello~vish or light brown, and heartwood
dark brown streaked with red. The hard,
heavy \.r-ood is easily worked, takes a fine polish,
and IS reported to be durable. It is little used in
Prlerto Rico but has served elsewhere for fenceposts.
This species is of interest primarily as a poisonous
tree to be avoided and to be recognized in areas
where found. The genus is closely related to that
of the well-kno~~n poison-ivy and poison-oak
(Toxicodendron or Rhus) in the United States.
The sap of all parts of the plant is irritating to
the skin of many persons and often produces n
painful rash or swelling upon contact wit11 leaves
or twigs. For example, men clearing land where
this tree gron-s have suffered inflammation of the
skin.
Sometimes the trees are seen as ornamenta!~ in
southern Florida, where they may have pers~sted
from the original forest. A resinousgum from the
bark is said to have medicinal properties. Also a
honey plant.
In forests and thickets of the dry limestone region
and rare in the moist limestone region of
Puerto Rico. One of the commonest trees of
RZonn. ilbsent from Culebra, Vieques, and Virgin
Islands.
PUBLIC FOREST.-Cambalaclle (very rare).
R,\s~~.-Southern Florida including Florida
Keys, through Bahamas, Cuba, Hispan~oln, Mona
and Puerto Rico, and Anguilln in Leeward
Islands.
OTIIER COJIBION ~~~tm.-almendr611, C e d P 0
prieto (Puerto Rico) ; pao de costa (C~ibn) ;
Florida poisontree, po~sonwood, West Indies
poisontree (United States) ;* poisontree, poisonwood
(Bahamas) ; mancenill~er (Haiti).
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