Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

GINSENG FAMILY (ARALIACEAE)
201. Yagrumo macho, matchwood Didymopanax morototoni (Aubl.) Decne. & PIanch.
A striking tree easily recognized by its distinc- Flowering and fruiting nearly throughout the
tive branching, crown, and leaves. The smooth, year.
gray, ringed trunk, unbranched below, has a few The wood is ale brown or light brown throughstout
branches above, bearin in uppermost part a out, soft, fair y lightweight (specific gravity
f
T
sllallow crown like an umbre la formed by the ter- 0.36), fine-textured, strrtight-grained, brittle, and
minal clusters of leaves. The very large leaves has large pith. It is very susceptible to attack by
are palmately compound, with a long stout round dry-wood termites and other insects and to decay.
etiole 2 feet or less in length and usual1 10 or 11 The rate of air-seasonin is ra id, but the amount
Ibng-stalked oblong leaflets with blaBes 10-1'7 of degmde is ConsiderabTe. dchining eharacterinches
long, long- ointed at apex, and beneath istics are as follows: planing, shnping, mortising,
brown or greenish 1 romn with a satiny coat of fine and sanding are good ; turning is very poor; boring
hairs.
is oor; and resistance to screw splitting is ex-
As the common name suggests, this s ecies re- cel
umo hembra (Cecropia pe B
P ent.
tata L.) , In Puerto Rico the wood is little used, though
-bles a botanica yapr ly unrelated tree. However, in yag- it is es ecially suitable for boxes and crates.
rumo hembra the leaves are not compound but IVhero t E e trees are more abundant and of larger
almately veined and palmately lobed with size, uses include general carpentry, interior con-
memtl
roun e lobes and they are whitish rather tl~a~l struction, and boxes. In Trinidad and British
bromn beneath. Guiana the wood is made into matchsticks and
An evergreen tree becoming 60 feet cw more in matchboxes. Other possible uses are utilit grnde
height, with trunk 6-18 inches in diameter, in plywood, toys, pulp, and as a substitute for K eavier
Puerto Rico usually medium-sized. The gray or grades of balsa.
light brown bark is smooth with many faint hori- Of possible value as an ornamental, growing
zontal rings and large leaf scars about 3 inches rapidly and requiring light. The leaves have
apart. Inner bark is brownish and slightly bitter served in home remedies in other places.
or spicy in taste. The twigs, petioles, under sur- Scattered in forests of the lower mountain moist
faco of leaflet blades, flower stalks, and flowers are coast and moist limestone regions of Puerto Rico.
minutely gray or brown hairy. The few twigs are Also in St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola.
very large and stout, about 1% inches in diameter PUBLIC FORESTS.-Cambalache, Carite, Guajaand
finely brown hairy. tacn, Luquillo, Mnricao, Rio Abajo, Susiia, Toro
Leaves are alternate but closely crowded, with Negro, Vega.
sheath of 2 hairy pointed scales stipules) 1/4-l/z MUNICIPALITIES WHERE ESPECIALLY COMMON.inch
long at base. At apex of t 6 e round green 4, 6,10,19,20, 22,23,27, 29,30,40,43,49,51, 53,
petiole are usually 10 or 11 spreading een leaflet 58,50.
stalks 21/24,, inches long. Leaflet b f ades are 4- RANGE.-IVidespread in wet forests of tropical
7% inches wide, and rounded or sometimes a little America. West Indies in Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerheart-sha
ed at base, the ed s often a little wavy, to Rico, St. Thomas, St. John, Tortola, Guadeslightly
t P ickened and leat A" ery, above green and loupe, and Trinidad. Continental tropical Amerhairless.
Young leaflets are brown hairy on both ica from southern Mexico (Onxam) to Bolivia,
surfaces. However, leaflets of young plants are Argentina, Brazil, and Guianas. Also planted in
green on both sides and rough hair above, thin, southern Florida.
sometimes saw-toothed on edges, an8smaller, with OTIXER COMBION NAJIEB.-~~~~ cimnrrona (Puershorter
petiole and fewer leaflets (7 or more). to Rico) ; morototo, mandioquiera (commerce) ;
Flower clusters (panicled umbels) me lateral, palo de sable, sablito, yapumo macho (Dominiabout
1-2 feet long and broad, with branches gray can Republic ; zapatcin, yagrumo macho, arriero,
and finely hairy. The very numerous flowers are gavildn, ba d ana, cordobiin, padero, papay6n
grouped at ends of branches into numerous small (Cuba) ; chancaro blanco, roble blanco (Mexico) ;
rounded clusters (umbels) less than 1/2 inch across, costilla de dnnto (Nicarn @a) ; pava, pavilla,
on spreading flower stalks s6-s/,6 inch long. The probad0 (Costa Rita) ; mangab6, argorhn, Pava
5-parted hely brownish and gray hairy flower (Panama) ; Yarumero, yryrume ( 8 olombia) ; Yaabout
s/16 inch across has a minute basal tube (hy- WUmO macho, orumo macho, sun-~fin, hi erete,
pnthium) less than x6 inch long enclosing the tinajero (Venezuela) ; sacha-uva, nnonillo Fern
yitarrero (Bolivia) ; ambag-razti (Argentina
inferior 2-celled ovnry and bearing the minute 6- mntch,vood, jeret6n (Trini a ) ; mountain trumcal~
X, white pointed petals more than pet (British Honduras) ; kamhoro, mnt&wood,
1/16 inch long, 5 stamens, and 2 styles. morototo (British Guiatna) ; arbre de Saint-Jean
The fleshy fruit (berry) , gray and covered with (French Guiann) ; morototo, cassnvehout, bigi
8 bloom, is about 3$J16 inch long, % inch broad, and boesie, papajnhoedoe, kasabahoedoe (Surinam) ;
a little flattened, with 2 styles at apex. It con- morotot6, mandioqueira, marupi, matatauba
tains 2 oblong flattened brown seeds sJ16 inch long. (Brazil).
428