COOK AND COLLINS——-ECONOMIC PLANTS OF PORTO RICO. 87 
Atriplex cristata. 
Family Chenopodiaceae; a native saltbush; known from the vicinity of Guanica. 
Attalea. 
Sintenis collected about houses near Victoria, Aguadilla, leaves and young fruit 
of a palm determined by Drude as belonging to the subtribe Attaleeae. <Attalea 
cohune, native in Honduras, is cultivated in Jamaica. The seeds are said to be 
extremely hard and are turned into buttons and other small articles like those of 
the African wine palm Raphia. 
Ausu. See Amoms caryophyllata. 
The name is also applied to Myrcta pagani and probably to other Myrtaceae. 
A tree from the northeast part of the island; height, 100 to 110 feet; diameter, 10 
to 12 inches. Wood purplish, very hard; specific gravity 1.203; used in cabinet- 
making. (Exp. 1857.) 
Grosourdy (2: 368) describes this as 35 to 40 feet (11 to 15 meters) high with 
a trunk 10 to 12 inches in diameter. The wood is very strong, the heart pale, the 
exterior portions white. Breaks with a vertical fracture, and is used for shelving. 
Ausubo. 
Stahl gives this name for Bumelia nigra, which in the Index Kewensis stands as 
a synonym of Dipholis salicifolia. According to Hill and others it is used for 
Sideroxylon mastichodendron, while Bello says Sapota sideroxylon, a synonym of 
Achras sapota. 
A tree from all parts of the island: height, 30 to 35 feet (9 to 11 meters); diam- 
eter, 50 to 55 inches (1.2 to 1.3 meters). Wood red, very hard; specific gravity, 
1.158; used in housebuilding. (Exp. 1857.) 
The tree known to Captain Hansard as **ausubo”™’ has leaves not unlike those 
of Ficus elastica, but somewhat smaller and thinner; when mature they turn red. 
The fruit somewhat resembles the sapodilla. 
‘The wood is clear, dull reddish-brown: moderately conspicuous ducts, in short, 
detached, long and short chains (single line of cells) evenly diffused; chains 
usually between two medullary rays: medullary rays very numerous. minute, 
indistinct: wood fibers slightly interlaced and appearing straight-grained: resem- 
bles somewhat a fine-grained teak. It is the chief and the most used timber on 
the island, being noted for its great durability. It is used in the making of wagon 
wheels, which are turned out by machinery in Ponce, and small stocks of it were 
noticed in several towns. It is close-grained and beautiful in color, and should be 
utilized for veneering. It would make most excellent furniture.’’ (Hill and 
Sudworth. ) 
Under this name Grosourdy (2: 363) refers to Acana and adds that the mili- 
tary authorities of San Juan use this wood for the spokes of wheels, axles of car- 
riages, etc. Some of its particular uses are for beams in houses, windows, doors, 
etc. 
Auzu. See Amomis caryophyllata. 
Averrhoa bilimbi. BimsBiive. BILIMBI. 
Avicennia nitida. MANGLE BLANCO, BLACK MANGROVE. 
Family Verbenaceae; a shrub or tree growing in tidal swamps; the wood is con- 
sidered valuable for its peculiar durability in damp situations. and is accordingly 
used for foundations and drains; under ordinary circumstances it decays quickly; 
the bark is used for tanning. Bello calls this ‘‘ mangle bobo.’’ (Stahl, 6 : 220.) 
This is called both ** black”? and *‘ white’? mangrove. The former perhaps 
because of the dark-colored bark, the latter because of the tomentose leaves. Also 
called ‘* olive mangrove.”’ 
Avicennia officinalis. 
Reported by Grosourdy under the name ** mangle blanco.”’ 
