Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

MULBERRY FAMILY (MORACEAE)
24, Jagiiey colorado Ficus eintenisii Warb.
This jagiiey or wildfig is distinguished by: (1)
smtlll elliptic leaves only 1x3 inches long and
B/g-ll/t inches broad, short-pointed at both ends,
dull reddish when young; (2) many straight, pnrallel,
lateral veins less thnn ]/lo inch apart on each
side of midrib and nearly at right angles to it; (3)
rounded figlike fruits less than yL inch in diameter
n~id on stallis about the same length, mostly paired
or single at base of a leaf; and (4) milky juice or
nVliite lntex.
A small to medium-sized evergreen tree to 50
feet high (recorded also to 65 feet) nncl 1 foot in
trunk diameter, with s rending crown. Bark is
light grnv and smoothis I' 1. The whitish inner bark
is almost tasteless and contains white lntex. Slen-
der brown twigs end in n long-pointed green scale
(sti ule) inch long, which forms the bud.
T!O alternate leaves hnve petioles %-1/2 inch
Leaf blades are thick and leathery, without
ion% teet , dark green arid slightly shiny on upper surface,
and yellow eel1 benentli.
The figlike mu T tiple fruits (syconia) are pale
green when immature, becoming pink tinged or
reddish and hnve a slight pointed opening at apex
and 2 rounded scales (brncts) $iG inch long at
base. Numerous minute male and female flowers
(monoecious) and seeds are formed inside the
slightly fleshy fruit. Probably fruiting through
tlie year.
The supmood is \vllitisll tuid soft. The wood is
soft, fairly light~veiglil (specific gravity 0.4),
wectk, und not durable. Usecl for fuel and posts.
Tlio broad, generally sy~r~metricnl dense cron-11
~iicikes this tree potentially an ornamental.
(loli~monest in the upper ~liountnin and moist
liuicstono regions of Puerto Rico, often growing
near t,lle summits of limestone hills. Less common
in t he lower mountain regions.
PUI~LIC ~o~~~~s.-Carnba~a~he, Carite, Guajatnctt,
Guinicu, Guilarte, Luquillo, Maricao, Rio
Abnjo, Susha, Toro Negro.
I