Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

BLADDERNUT FAMILY (STAPH~EACEAE)
El?. Sauco cimarr6n Turpinia paniculata Vent.
This small or medium-sized tree is characterized
by: (1) 'opposite pinnate leaves with 5-11 elliptic
or ovate lmflets also paired except for the
terminal one, the edges minutely saw-toothed; (2)
numerous small 5-parted greenish-white flowers
about j/q inch across in a lar
terminal cluster; and (3) near $ y round or sli htly
3-lobed fruits 4/2-9/, inch in diameter, most y on
long, slender, spreading stalks.
An evergreen tree commonly less than 30 feet
high and 6 inches in trunk diameter with an open
crown, hairless throughout except for yo twigs
and young laves. The gmy bark is muc%d
and thin. Inner bark is brown and almost tasteless.
The brown twigs are stout and slightly
fissured.
The leaves, 5-10 inches long, have a slender
en or inkish-tinged axis, and the leaflets
have light s r- ort sta f ks inch long. Leaflet blades
are 11/24 inches long and %-23/q inohes broad,
mostly short-pointed at apex and rounded or
short-pointed & base, the saw-toothed edges often
wavy, thin or very slightly thickened, green and
often shiny on upper surface, light green beneath.
Flower clustsrs (panicles) are mostly 6-12
inches long and nearly as broad and have long,
slender, horizontally spreading li ht peen
branches bearin many short-stalkef fragrant
flowers. The ca f yx consists of 5 light green unequal
elliptic sepals less than 4/8 inch long, remain-
f
ing on fruit ; there are 5 white rounded petals more
than 4/8 inch long; 5 whitish stamens 1/8 inch long;
and istil 4/8 inch long on a lobed disk with 3-
lobe f , 3-celled ovary and 3 united styles which
often remain on the fruit as points or hooks.
The rounded fruits are broader than long and
slightly 3-angled, turning from en to brown,
dry but not splitting o en, 3-cel ff" ed. There are
P
3-6 shiny li ht brown e liptic seeds Vq inch lon .
Flowering c f iefly in spring (February to ~uney,
the fruits matunng in summer and fall (July to
October).
The sapwood is whitish and hard. The heartwood
is moderately resishnt to attack by drywood
termites. Reported to be brittle, the woud
is used only for fuel.
Lower and upper mountain forests of Puerto
Rico, ascending to summits of peaks. Also in
Tortola.
P~JRLIC m~~.s~s.-Carite, Guajatsca, Guilarta,
Luquillo, Maricao, Tom Negro.
MUNICIPALITY
WHERE ESPECIALLY COMBION-10.
R~~~rn.-Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and
Tortola. Also from southern Mexico and Guatemala
to Panama.
OTHER COMMON NAMEB;--s~u~u~~~o,
lilay0, eU-
nio (Puerto Rico) ; cedro hembra (Dominican
a8epublic) ; sa6co cimarrbn, roble giiira, serrmcho
; cedrillo (El Salvador) ; cajeta, tinta
Guatemala) .
ICuba'