Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

d d 7
majagua de toro (Mexico ; tapaculo Guatamal
El Salvador) ; caulote ( uatemala, onduras, E
Salvador, Colombia) ; contarnal (Guatamala) ; chichar&
(El Salvador) ; pacimlllo (Nicaragua) ;
iicimo blanco (Costa Rwa) ; &io de ternero
Y Panama) ; iurnanasi, papayi T' lo (Peru) ; coco
(Bolivia) ; camb6-acl, nzuma (Argentina) ;
bastard-cedar (Jamaica, Rnidad) ; bols d'orme,
West-Indian-elm (Trinidad) ; pigeon-wood (Tobago)
; bay-cedar, caulote, pixoy (British Hon-
duras) ; bois d'orme, onne d'Am6rique (French) ;
bois de hatre hgtre gris, h6tre vert, mahot-h6tre
(Guadelou ej ; gaeaazoema (Dutch West Indies) ;
mutamba ( f3 ranl) .
BOTANICAL SYNONYIIIB. - f7uazu~na gwum (L.) Cockerell, 8. tomentosa H. B. K., B. uZmifolk
var. tomentosa (H. B. K. K. Schurn.
The common name jacomla 1 u, applied to this
species in St. Thomas, is said to be rm African
word for an edible plant like spinach.
CHOCOLATE FAMILY (STERCULIACEAE)
157. Anacagiiita, panama-tree Sterculia apetala (Jacq.) Karst.*
This large and handsome, introduced shade tree
is distin ished by: (1) a dense broad spreadin
crown; 6 the abundant foliage of long-petioledj
broad, deeply &lobed, pleated leaves with thick
and leathery blades 8-12 inches long and wide;
(3) large clusters of many bell-shaped yellowish
flowers tinged with red or purple, 5-lobed and
about 8/8 inch long and 8/q inch across; and (4) the
large, dark brown, hard, dry fruits, each of 5 or
fewer spreading pods 24/2-31/2 inches long, openin
widely to release the large black seeds and cover d
within with stiff needlelike bristles, which penetrate
and irritate the skin.
An evergreen tree to 50 feet high. The trunks
are commonly 3 feet or more in diameter, developing
narrow prominent buttresses taller than broad.
The bark is smooth and gray or brown. Inner
bark is orange brown, gritty, and tasteless. Young
twigs, flowers, and youn leaves are thickly covered
with brown, much- f ranched or star-shaped
hairs. Older twigs are stout and light gray, with
lap, nearly round leaf scars.
he alternate leaves hare round yellow-green
petioles 5-8 inches or more in length. Blades have
5 main veins from the heart-shaped base (palmately
lobed), the lobes ovate and short-pointed, not
toothed on edges. The green and slight1 shiny
upper surface becomes almost hairless, w lile the
gray to brownish-green lower surface is densely
woolly with minute star-shaped hairs.
Branched flower clusters (panicles) about 8
inches long are borne near the ends of twigs. The
numerous flowers are partly male or female and
partly bisexual (polygamous), with a 5-lobed
calyx but have no etals. Stamens and pistil are
P
borne at the end o a stalk f/4-3/8 inch long, with
7-15 anthers on a very short tube, and the woolly
pistil, when present, consisting of a 5-celled ovary
Y8 inch in diameter and a st le of the same length
but curved downward. ~iere are 2-5 elliptic
9
seeds s/q inch long in each pod (follicle), maturing
usually in spring. Flowering in spring and occasionally
in summer and fall.
The sapwood is whitish, and the heartwood light
brown to reddish brown. The wood is lightweight
(specific parity 0.30-.45), soft, spongy, fibrous,
coarse-textured, and has growth rings. It works
easily but discolors rapidly and is susceptible to
decay. Possible uses are interior construction and
packing boxes. Lar e trunks have been hollowed
Into dugout canoes ekwhere.
The principal value of this species is for shade
and ornament, since the wood is seldom used. It
is reported that the edible seeds when pound can
be made into a beverage and when roasted taste
like peanuts. Pigs eat the seeds also. Flowers,
leaveq and bark have been employed in home
medicmes. Also a honey lant.
Individual trees have ie en planted for shade
and ornament in various parts of Puerto Rico and
in St. Thomas and perhaps others of the Virgin
Islands, but the species is not native. This spec~es
is honored as the national tree of the Republic of
Panama and as the origin of that country's name.
RANGE.-Southern Mexico and Central America
to Peru and Brazil. Naturalized in Jamaica and
Trinidad. Planted in southern Florida, Cuba,
Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, and
elmhere in the tropics.
OTHER COMMON NAICEB.--B~~C~~U~~ (Dominican
Republic) ; chicha (commerce) ; anacagiiita,
camaruca (Cuba) ; bellota (Mexico, Guatemala) ;
castado (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador) ;
panam& (Central America) ; camajur6, camajonduro
(Colombia) ; camoruco, pata de danta, sunsGn,
cacalto, cacaguillo (Venezuela) ; panama-tree
(English) ; pistache des Indes (Haiti).
BOT~NICAL s~~~rnx.--StercuZia: carthaginensis
Cav.