Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

20. Yagrumbo hembra, trumpet-tree
One of the most, abundant trees in Puerto Rico,
this species is easily recognized by: (1) a very thia
sprettding crown of s few sto~~t brancl~es nrising
higl~ on the ti~ink and curving uplvard; (2) the
few very large thick umbi~llalilce (peltnte) Ienves
wit11 blades 1-2s feet across, con~posecl of 7-11
It~rge lobes spreading at the end of a stot~t. petiole
almost os long; (3) the al-llitisll or silvery under-
surface of leaves readily seen \vl~en uptunlet1 by
;L 1)i.eeze: ancl (4) the newer bmaclles llollow ex-
cept, for partitions at the nodes.
A medium-sized evergiven tree to 70 feet lligl~
snd 2 feet in trunk diameter, deciduous in arens
\vi t 11 tr pronounced dry season. Solnet imcs tlc-
reloping prop roots nround the hase. The grity
bark is smootll and thin, n-it11 nnn.o\v rings nncl
largo lenf scars at, t.he nodes or joints 2-4 incl~c-s
MULBERRY FAMILY (MORACEAE)
Cecropia peltata L.
siderable. Ilachining c11~mcterist.i~~ nlu! as follo\vs:
plal~in and sanding are good; shnpil~g and
turning nro F nir; boring is very poor; mortising is
poor ; and resistnnce to sciv\v splitting is excellent.
In PII~I.~~ Rico the woocl is used for mnnufac-
ture of cscelsior. Combitled with cement, it is
made into IL type of insulation board for light in-
terior construction and partitions. The wood
shonltl be a suitable substitute for balsn in manu-
fncture of toys, models, and other products made
from ~notlcrately heavy grades of balsa. Else-
mllere the \vood has been used for mntcl~sticks,
boxes tlntl cr:ltes, interior boarcling, and paper
pulp.
Tl~o Ilollotv stems II:I\T been used to ~nalce floats
for fisll~lets nncl life preservers and, when split in
two, Il:lre served as writer troughs :lnd gutbrs.
apnrt. Inner bark is pinkish nntl sliglltly bitter, St~bstitafes for cork stoppers have bee11 wllittled
with watery lates. The smallest bnu~cl~es are 1IA fro111 the soft ~vootl. In some countries the leaves,
inclles in diameter, green and sligl~tly hairy at b:~rk, n~~tl Itttes have been employed in locnl mediapes,
becoming gray, n-ith rings t ~t nocles. Tl~elr cille. Tile fibrous bark of relnted species tras used
is tr ginnt bud covered by a large, pointed, 1~~1disl1, l>y 1ntli;lns for cordage nr~cl mats. It is reported
hairy scnle (stipule) 5-10 incl~es long.
th:~t, the woocl ignites ensily from friction and
Leaves are alternate but clnste~vtl at, encls of herves as tinder.
branches, each on n stout round grec!n petiole 12-20 Hollo\v 1)1*:111ches of this and related species elseinches
long, enlarged nt base. Tl~e lenf blades, ~vhere are inllalited by sn~r~ll stinging ants \\-hich
rounded in outline, I~are 7-11 lobes nnd reins rn- bore l~oles to rench the interior. Early nntu~xlists
dinting fro111 the end of the petiole (pnlmt~te), the obwrving this constnnt association imagil~ed that
lobes and sinuses rounded. Upper sl~rface is the ants, 11s paglnent for the residence furnished,
green, slightly rougll, and llairless, and lower sur- \\.ere aggressive in driving away insects or other
fnc-e with a dense coat of ~\*hit,ish Ilnirs.
nnturnl e~~cmies thretltel~i~lg the tree. However,
hfale and female flolvers n1.e on cliffesent t,l.ees in Pl~erto 1Zic.o tu~ts are not :~ssociated \\.it11 this
(dioecious) in paired fingerlike cl~~sters at leaf species, nnd the trees illri\.e.
bases. IInle flo~ver c111stex-s hare n. stalk 2-3 incl~es Abondnnt in open :~rens and in forests both vir-
Ion bearing about. 15 narrowly cylindrical ptlle gin and cntover, tl~rourrllont Puerto Rico with the
ye1 f ow branches (spikes) 23y2 inches long and escept ion of parts of the tlry coastal and dry limeil~cl~
in dianleter, e:lcll on 11 stalk y1-?L2 incl~ stone regiol~s. Also ill Yieques, St. Croix, St.
long. The very numerous, tiny, cl.o\vded mc~le Tllolnns, St. John, a11t1 Tortolt~.
flo\vers are x6 IIIC~I long n~ld n:trro\v alld hare 1t The trees propagate nat~~rnlly and nt first grow
111l)nInr calyx nlld 9stnmens.
very rapidly (2-3 incl~es in diameter per year) but
Female florver clr~stels on stalks 2-3 inches long require ilearly full sunlight. The seeds apparconsist
of 2-5 stalkless, thicker, cylindrical, grny ei~tly gcrn~inate slon-lg. In Trinidad it ans obbrnnches
(spikes). Tlie mi1111te female flowers served that bats eat quantities of the succulent
nlore tl1:111 $Ilo il~cll lo~~g, st111ken ill the asis, are fruits ant1 nre the chief agents of seed dispersal.
colt~posed of n tubi~lnr calys enclosil~g ovary alltl Birds also distribute the seeds. This weed tree
style nnd tul exposed finely brnnclled stign~:~. At corninonly covers quickly all openings resulting
matnrit y the b~~ncl~es (multiple fruits) are 21h-4 fl-om cuttitlg of trees ill tllc forest. Its ope11 shade
inclles long ancl %-y2 ilicll in clian~cter, gray nlltl ~woridrs 11 good el~rirol~l~~el~ t for the development
slightly fleshy, dotted wit11 mnny I -seeded nli~l~ite of a tiew forest.
fnlits (about 8,200,000 to the pound). The numer- PC-nr.rc ~on~s~s.-C:~~~~l~nl:~cl~e, Carite, Guajaous
I)ro\\-n seeds rlre nlore t11:ul 1/,, ill(-11 long. 111 tilrti, Geilarte, Luqnillo, i\.Cnricno, Rio Abnjo,
flotver and fruit, probably thro~~gll the year. Snsila. Toro Negro, Irega.
The \rood is \vl~itisll, lipht~veigllt (specific g~-a\~- JIusrc.r~*~tr,l~r~s TI'REIIE ESPECIALLY conrnro~.-1,
itg 0.29), soft. weak, nnd brittle, 1)ut tougll for its 5. 10, 11, 17, 19, 22, 23,25,27, 31, 34, 35, 3G, 40,43,
weigl~t. It is not, tll~rnble and is very s~~sceptiblc 45.49, 50, 51, 52, 53,,58, 59,60, 6.2, 64, 70, 73, 74.
to nttnck l)y dry-\vood termites. 1711like the hollo\v H.\sa~.-'I'l~rougho~~t West Indies from Cuba
brancllcs, t.he main trunk is solid. 'I'l~e rnte of air- :lid .J:~nlt~icn to Trinidad nticl Tobago. Also from
seasoning is rapid, n11d arllol~nt of (Iegrttcle is con- Tnmttin, BIesico, to Costrt Ricn ancl recorded in