Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

BOMBAX FAMILY (BOMBACACEAE)
Key to the 3 native species, all illustrated (Nos. 153-155)
A. Leaves digitate (palmate), with 6-8 lance-shaped or oblong leafleblli3. Ceiba pentandra.
AA. Laves simple.
B. Leaves with 5-9 main veins from base-154. Ochronla pyramidale.
BB. Leaves with 1 main vein or midrib-If%. Qrtararibaea turbinata.
153. Ceiba, silk-cotton-tree Ceiba pentundra (It.) Gaertn.
This giant tree, one of the largest in. tropical
America, is easily reco ized by the massive grn -
Y i
green or gray smoothis 1 trunk (spiny when smal )
which reaches an enormous size of 5-8 feet or more
in diameter above the unusually large narrow buttresses
and by the very broad flat crown of horizontal
branches. Other distinguishing characteristics
are: 1) the palmately com ound leaves
(digitate) o 1 5-8 lance-shaped or o 1
long leaflets
3-8 inches long, drooping from the end of a Ion
petiole; (2) numerous spreading 5-parted whitis B 1
to pink flowers 1%-11/2 inches low and broad ; and
(3) oblong or elli tic seed crpsuL 3-6 inches or
more in length an $ 2 inches in diameter, containing
many seeds and woolly hairs, the kapok of
commerce.
Ceiba is a rapidly growing deciduous tree becoming
80 feet or more in height. The b~ttresses,
6-12 inches thick, extend horizontally out from
the trunk over the large roots as much as 10 feet
and almost as high. Many stout conical spin~q
Y8-1 inch long are present on brnnches and small
trunks but are mostly absent on large trunks. Tho
thick inner bark is light brown and almost tastaless.
The thin crown is commonly broader than
the hei 11t of the tree. Twigs are stout, green at
tip, an d becoming gray.
Leaves are alternate, with slender green petioles
3-9 inches long. The leaflets hang down on short
stalks y8-9/8 inch long and are 3-8 inches long and
3/4-13! inches broad, short-pointed at base and
apex, not toothed on ed es, thin, above bright
green to dark peen, and enenth dull pen.
Great quantities of flowers are produced in la-
teral clusters near the ends of twis in winter or
early spring (December to February) though not
every year, often while the tree is leafless. Flower
stalks are 1-11h inches long. The calyx is cup-
shaped, about % inch long and broad, with 6-10
shallow teeth. The 5 petals are about 1% inches
long, whit.ish to rose colored, and densely brown
silkg hairy on the outer surface. Five stamens,
longer than the petals, are united into a column
near the base. The pistil consists of 5-celled ovary,
a long style curved near apex, and enlarged stigma.
Seed capsules mature in spring and summer,
splitting open along 5 lines. Man rounded black
seeds less than 1/5 inch long (a g out 3,200 to a
pound) are imbedded in a dense mass of grny
woolly hairs.
The mood is very light brown but nearly al-
ways turned to blue gray by sap-staining fungi,
&
the sap\vood almost the same color and not readily
distinguished. It is very soft, exceedingly lightweight
(specific gravity 0.23), weak, coarse-textured,
and straight-grained. The rate of air-seasoning
and amount of degrade are moderate. The
wood machines easily but not satisfactorily. Machining
characteristics are as follows : planing,
sanding, and resistance to screw splitting are excellent;
shaping and boring are poor; turning is
very poor; and mortising is fair. Logs and lumber
are very susceptible to attack by insects and decay.
However, blue-stain can be prevented by dipping
the lumber in a fungicide solution soon after
sawing.
The mood is seldom used in Puerto Rico although
sometimes has served for interior sheathing.
It resembles heavier grades of balsa
(.gupno) but is twice as strong and could be used
similarly. It is suitable for boxes, slack cooperage,
toys, light construction, pattarnmaking, and
utility-grade plywood. Because it is easily worked
and in spite of lack of durability, the wood has
been emplo ed for tubs and basins. Indians made
drums of t f, e n~od and hollowed out the trunks
for dugout canoes of large size.
Trees are occasionally planted for shade and
ornament, and young cut branches or cuttings will
root mhen planted. In many tropical towns a
giant spreading ceiba occupies the center of the
plaza. Classed as a valuable honey plant. It is
re orted that the leaves are edible mhen cooked.
kapok, the \voolly or silky hair from the seed
pods, is an important product of this species. The
harvest is mainly from planted trees in Java and
the Philippines. A growing tme produces about
600-900 seed capsules or &9 pounds of clean floss
annually. This fiber is fine, lightweight, and elastic
and does not become matted under pressure.
Because of these characteristics and its insulating
qualities, kapok is preferred for linings of sleeping
bags and mas a strategic material in the last
war. Another use is for life preservers. In man
places kapok has been used locally in stu5ng
low-s and mattresses, and commercial development
has been s~iqgestod where the trees are sufficiently
common. The fiber is brittle and inflammable and
not suitable for spinning into threads. An oil
suitable for making soap and illumination has bean
extracted from the seeds.
Ceiba is scattered and widely distributed in
Pllerto Rico along river banks and open hillsides
on the coastal plain and in the lower mountain