Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

MYRsINE FAMILY (MYRSINACEAE)
204. Biidula, Guiana rapanea Rapanea gutanensis Aubl.
This smt~l1 tree resembles its close relative man- sprending corolla wit11 5 unequal pointed lobes dottequero
( li'upanea fen~uginea (Ruiz & Pav.) Mez) ted wit11 purple: 5 stalkless stamens on the corolla
but is hairless throu hout and has broader leaves and opposite the lobes; and pistil with 1-celled
with mostly rotlsdef npices and sliglltly lnrger ovary nncl short-lobed stigma. Tho berries have
flowers nnd fruits. It is characterized by : (1) the thin flesh nnd 1 largo brown seed more than 4! inch
elli tic, sliditly shiny,. green leaves clustered at in dinmeter. Collected in flo~rer in spring and
ent f s of t\vigs, wit11 minute gland dots on both with fruits in summer.
sides; (2) tho long slender twigs, greenish when The light brown, hnrd, strong wood is used
young, becoming light brown; (3) numerous small chiefly for posts.
green~sh flowers nlmost stalkless in scaly lateral In the moist nnd dly limestone forests in northclusters
mostly bnck of leaves; and (4) many ern and western Puerto Rico. Also in Tortola.
round blue-black fruits inch in diameter Pvnr~c ~oa~s.rs.-Cambalache, Guajatnca, Rio
crowded along the twigs for a few inches.
Abnjo, Susiln.
A small evergreen tree to 25 feet high and 3-6 Rasa~.-Centinl nnd southern Florida includinclies
in trunk diameter, with straight axis, open ing Florida Keys, Bnhnmas, Greater Antilles,
nncl narrow crown, nnd relntively fern unbranched Tortoln, Lesser Antilles from Guadeloupe to
twigs. The thin grny bnrk is smooth or slightly Grenada, nnd Trinidad and Tobago. Also in
fissured. Inner bnrk is reddish or brown, slightly soutllern 'blexico, British Honduras, Costa Rica,
bitter or almost tasteless.
and South America from Colombia to Bolivia, Ar-
Tlie leaves, alternate but close together, have gentina, Brnzil, and Guianns.
etioles X-lh inch long. Blades are 23 inches
pal, inches broad, widest at middle or be-
OTHER COMJIOS ~~~r~s.-mameyuelo (Dominiond,
rounded or blunt- ointed at apes, pointed at
can Repablic) ; cnmagiiilla (Cuba) ; chngualito
gnse, sIig11tl-y thickenex and with edges turned (Colombin) ; mmlteco blanco, mameycillo, cucharo
under. The lower surfnce is pnler.
(Venezueln) ; cane1611 (Argentinn, commerce) ;
Male nnd foniale flowers are on different trees Guinnn rnpnnen, my~sine (United States) ; myror
some flowers bisexual (polygnmo-dioecious) , sine (Bnlinmns) ; dalcnrn (British Guinna) ; fuelle
greenish and more than 3/1(3 inch across. Tlie small ca~lello (Haiti) ; dnlcarn, ltonnparan, mannie
cttlys is deeply 5-lobed, dotted with purple; the botieie (Surinnm) .