Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

SAPODILLA FAMILY (SAPOTACEAE)
211. Caimitillo Micropholis chrysophylloides Pierre
A tree of mountain forests distinguished by the
beautiful bronze or reddish-brown; finely silk
hairy lower surfaces of the elliptic leaves, whic I
are 1%-3% inches lon and 1-2 inches broad, and
abruptly short-pointef at the apex. Other characteristlcs
nre : (1) small, bronze and greenish cupshaped
flowers about 1/4 inch long and broad, borne
laterally; (2) elliptic berries inches Ion
and 5/e inch or less in thickness; and (3) a sma R
amount of milk sap.
~edium-sizedl e v e n tree 30-60 feet in
height and 2 feet in trunk diameter, with erect
trunk and narrow dense crown of dark reen
foliage. The gray bark is smoothish. Inner % ark
is pinkish, tasteless or bitter. Twigs are bronze
halry when young, becoming dark gray and hairless.
The alternate leaves have bronze hairy petioles
I/4-s/8 inch lon . Rlndes are short-pointed at base,
thick and leat f lery, the upper surface dark green,
hairless or nearly so, and slightly shiny, and the
lower surface sometimes in age also nearly hairless.
The inconspicuous flowers are attached on
bronze hairy stalks about 1/4 inch long, usually 1-3
(sometimes to 8) at the base of a leaf or on twig
back of leaves. There are 5 bronze hairy sepals
v8 inch long ; the yellowish-green corolla with tube
and 5 short, rounded spreading lobes 1/ inch
across; 5 small stamens on the corolla tu I, e opposite
the lobes and 1 short appendage (stnmlnode)
between each 2 lobes; and pistil with llttiry
5-celled ovary and short style. One laree elllptlc
brown seed is contained in the fleshy fruit, Flowering
and fruiting nearly through the year.
The heartwood is uniform light yellowish brown
and not readily separated from the lighter brown
sapwood. The wood is hard, heavy (specific gravity
0.68), strong, tough, fine-textured, straightgrained
and with indistinct growth rings. It is
susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites. The
rate of air-seasoning is rapid, and the amount of
degrade is minor. Machining characteristics are
as follows: planing, turning, and mortising are
good ; shaping and boring are excellent ; and sandlng
and resistance to screw splitting are fair.
Sawing and machining are moderately diflicult
because silica in the wood dulls the saw teeth and
cutting edges. Holvever, the mood takes a high
polish.
The \\-ood is used sometimes for construction. It
is suitable for furniture, cabinetwork, interior
trim, flooring, paddles, farm implements, tool handles,
veneer, plywood, and general carpentry.
In the forests of the upper mountains of Puerto
Rico, widely distributed from east to west.
PUBLIC FORESTS.-Carite, Guilarte, Luquillo,
Maricao, Toro Negro.
~\IUNICIP~\LITIES
WHERE ESPECIALLY COMBION.-
1,17,19,27,35,45,52,54,62.
RAXOE.--Puerto Rico and Lesser Antilles from
St. Icitts to Grenada.
OTHER COJ~JZON NAMES.-~~S~~,
leche prieta
(Puerto Rico) ; pan mango (Nevis) ; wild mango
(Biontserrat) ; caimite (Dominica) ; feuille dode
(St. Lucia) ; wild star-apple (St. Vincent) ; bois
(Grenada) ; caymitier bois (Guadeloupe, Martinique)
.
BOTANICAL SYNONYMS.--N~CTO~AOZ& curvatu
(Pierre) Urban, N. portorkernis Pierre var. curvata
Pierre, Pouteda chq8ophyUoide8 (Pierre)
Stehlt?.