Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

MYRTLE FAMILY (MYRTACEAE)
Key to the 11 species illustrated (Xos. 185-195)
A. I~aves alternate ; corolla absent-186. Etical~ptus robueta.*
AA. Leaves opposite ; corolla of 4 or 5 rounded petals.
B. Leaves small, less than 2 inches long.
C. Leaves rounded at apex; the short petioles and young twigs reddish-brown hairy-1s. Calyptranthes
krugil.
CC. Leaves long-pointed at apex, hairless when mature.
D. Leaves bluntly long-pointed, nearly diamond-shaped, dull green, thin, the few lateral vehs inconspicuous--190.
Eugenia rhombea.
DD. Leaves ending in long narrow point, ovate or lance-shaped, shiny, slightly thickened, with many
prominent side veins--193. Myrcia uplendens.
BB. Leaves larger, more than 2 inches long.
E. Leaves rounded at apex, thick and leathery.
F. Leaves with many straight, parallel side veins, edges rolled under; flowers many, very small-1M.
Pimenta racemosa.
FF. Leaves with few side veins ; flowers few, large--191. Eugenia stahNC
EE. Leaves long- or short-pointed at apex.
G. I~eaves with side veins sunken.
H. Leaves thick, stiff, upper surface shiny ; petioles and twigs densely reddish-brown hairy;
flowers and fruits many, small- 102. Af~rcia dellcea.
HH. Leaves slightly thickened, not stiff; twigs and lower leaf surfaces finely hairy; flowers few,
large; fruit large. round edible (guava)-195. Psidium guajaua.*
GG. Leaves with side veins not sunken.
I. Flowers and fruits small, about % inch long and broad-187. Eugenia aeruginea.
11. Flowers large, more than 2 inches broad ; fruits more than 1 inch long, edible.
J. Flowers white; fruits rounded (rose-apple)--188. Eugenia jamboa.*
JJ. Flowers purplish red ; fruits pear-shaped (Malay-apple)-180. Eugenia malaccensfa.*
185. Limoncillo Calyptranthes krugii Kiaersk.
This shrub or small tree found only in the
mountains of Puerto Rico is characterized by:
(1) dark bro11711 twigs, crowded, much branched
nnd forking, \\.hen young densely rusty reddishbrown
hairy ; (2) opposite small, obovnte, slightly
aromatic, leathery leaves almost stalkless, s/B-l
inch long and 3/8-3/4 inch wide, rounded at apex
nnci pointed at base, pen to dnrk green above and
pale light n beneath, with man minute
gland dots; reach leaf covered until a most full
size by 2 odd bronlnish scales (stipules), which
split open at midrib on both sides; (4) \I-hite flow-
ers 1/23/4 inch wross the many white stamens
single and stalkless at lenf bases; and (5) round
berry I/q inch in diameter, with ring at apex.
An evergreen shrub or small tree 8-15 feet tall
and 2-3 inches or more in trunk diameter, yifh
narrow crown. The brown bark is smooth, m~tll~n
whitish or brownish tlnd almost tnsteless to sli ht-
1 bitter. The slender forking twigs are slig ltly
Lured.
The lenves have short reddish-brown hairy petioles
'/le inch or less in length. The thickened
stiff blades are hairy when young, the edges
turned under, slightly shiny above, and with inconspicuous
Intern1 veins.
Flower buds are rounded and reddish-brown
hairy. The flower, about s/s inch high, has a reddish-bran-n
hairy cuplike bnse (hypanthium) enclosing
the inferior ovary and projecting beyond,
bearing the calyx, iVhich splits open as n lid attached
on 1 side, 4 minute white petals less than
l/l~ inch long, a ring of spreading white stnmens
j/4 inch long, and a green style j/4 inch long.
T
f
The fleshy fruit is covered with reddish-brown
hairs and is greenish when immature. Collected
in flower from June to October and with fruit in
January.
The sapwood is light brown and hard. The
wood is not used because of the small size of the
tree.
In the upper mountain forests, including the
dwarf forests of the summits of the Luquillo
Mountains and also in the Central Cordillera.
PUBLIC FOWTS.-Carite, Luquillo, Toro Negro.
RANGE.--Confined to enstern and central mountains
of Puerto Rico.
This genus is re resented by 2 more species of
small trees or shru ! s in Puerto Rico and 3 others
in the Virgin Islands. Flower characteristics of
this genus include a cuplike base (hypnnthium),
which upon shedding leaves a ring scar nt apex of
the round berry fruit; the calyx which splits open
as a lid; and corolla none or of 4 very small white
petals. The English generic name lidflower, from
the scientific name, refers to the calyx.
Calyptranthes kiaert~kovii ICrug & Urban,
known only from foliage collected at Tortola, hns
obovate hairless leaves 1 inch or less in length with
blunt or rounded apex and upper surface shiny.
The other species have larger leaves 1-3 inches
long. Limoncillo del monte (OaEyptranthea sintenhii
ICiaersk.), of moist forests in Puerto Rico
nnd also in Hispaniola, has elliptic long-pointed
lenves bright green and faintly shining above and
beneath paler, dull, and sometimes slightly hairy ;
and fruit inch or more in diameter,
Pale lidflomer (Calyptranthes paBern Griseb.),
of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Mona and wider dis-