Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

198, Camasey
MELASTOME FAMILY (MELASTOMATACEAE)
B
Miconia prasina (Sw.) DC.
Camasey (Niconia and related genera) is re - cific gravity 0.7) is little used except as fuel. Not
resented by many s ecies of small trees and shru s durable as a fencepost.
in Puerto Rico. Rile of the commoner species, Common in the moist coastal, moist !imestone,
this is chnricterized by: (1) .opposite, narrowly and lower mountain forests in Puerto R~co. Also
elliptic leaves finely wavy-toothed, green and in Tortola.
slightly shiny on both sides, with 5 main veins, the PUBLIC ~o~~s~s.-Carite, Luquillo, Rio Abajo,
2 airs of lateral veins joined to the midrib at Toro Negro.
di ti erent points near base (5-nerved) ; (2) small R~xo~.-Common and widelv distributed in
whitish flowers in large terminal clusters with tropical America. Cuba, ~amiica, Hispaniola,
horizontal, paired, spreading branches; and (3) Puerto Rico, and Tortol:~. Lesser Antilles in Anrounded
purplish-blue berries 5/16 inch in diameter. tigua, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and
An ever een shrub or small tree to 25 feet high Grenada, and Trinidad and Margarita. Also
and 4 inc (if es in trunk diameter. The bark is from soothenl Alexico to Peru, Boliva, Paraguay,
smooth, gray, and thin, the inner bark yellowish and Brazil. Botanical varieties are distinguished
brown and bitter. The stout gray-brown twigs are
minutely hairy with star-shaped hairs when young
in different parts of the broad mnge.
and with faint rings at nodes.
OTHER COiUJION NA3fES.--C%maSey blanco (Pu-
The leaves have winged or wingless petioles erto Rico) ; panadillo bobo, cenizoso (%minican
1/4-1 inch long and blttdes 41/2-71/ inches Ion and Republic) ; mullaca colorado, mullu caspi (Peru) ;
ll,4-2-2y, inches broad, the apex fong-pointef and sardine (Trinidad) ; mrnia (British Guiana) ;
base short-pointed, slightly thickened, usually snnto, selele b616t&re, konorrhpie, pintjo (Suri.
hairless or nearly so at maturity. The veins are nam) ; jacatirgo, mondururu preto (Brazil).
a little sunken on upper surface and raised on the This genus hns 15 additional native species of
lower surface, which is slightly lighter green. small trees or shrubs recorded from Puerto Rico
Flower clusters ( anicles) are 3-6 inches long and the Virgin Islands, found generally in moist
and 2 4 inches bron g , with branches covered with areas and known commonly as camasey. Britton
minute star-shaped hairs, bearing many stalkless and J7Tilson (Botany of Porto Rico and the Virflowers
1/4 inch long. The tubular base (hypan- gin Islands 6 : 6-11,555. 1925) published botanithium)
and slightly 5-lobed calys are less than l/s
inch long, finely hairy; bhere are 5 small white
cal descriptions and n key for identification.
petals more than 'fia inch long; 10 spreading sta-
These species are : Niconia foseolata Cogn., N. immens
with white filaments; and pistil composed of petiolnt-is (Sm.) D. Don, N. laevigata (I,.) DC.,
inferior ovary, slender style, and rounded stifima. -If. lnnata (DC.) Triana, M. microcarpa DC., N.
The berries are slightly flattened, juic e ~ble oftoschulzii Urban C Ekman, N. pnchyphy2la
but slightly sour and almost tasteless, 1" here are Cogn., N. pzu~ctnta (Desv.) D. Don, r4f. pycnoman
brown seeds about %z inch long. I11 flower neura Urban, N. racemoaa (Aubl.) DC., M. rubiand
&uit nearly through the year.
ginoaa (Bonpl.) DC., N. sinteniaii Cogn., N. sub-
The sapwood is li ht brown, and the heart\vood coq~nbosa Britton, N. tetrandra (Sw.) D. Don,
is grayish brown. %he hard, lieavy \\-ood (spe- and N. tho~nasiana DC.