96 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
quantity. In the present species, however. the fibers have been found to have 
a guminy coating which increases the difficulty of preparation, so that experi- 
ments in commercial production have not been successful. Other South American 
Bromeliaceae have cleaner fibers which have been shipped to Europe in consider- 
able quantities, but the industry has remained on a rather precarious basis, 
In the discussion of the pineapple, attention has been called to the fact that in 
Porto Rico Bromelia is the host plant of a mealy bug which also infests the pine- 
apple, to which it is probably carried by the ants. If the pest should prove 
serious it may be found necessary to exterminate Bromelia in regions devoted to 
pineapple culture. 
Bruja. See Bryophyllum calycinum. 
Brunfelsia densifolia. 
Family Solanaceae; an indigenous tree, 8 to 10 meters in height. from the 
vicinity of Maricao. (Urban, Syinb. 1: 402.) 
Secured by Sintenis near Maricao. 
Brunfelsia lactea. VrGa BLANCA, 
A shrub, sometimes reaching 6 meters; reported from Luquillo, Naguabo, and 
Cayey. (Urban, Symb, 1: 401.) 
Brunfelsia portoricensis. 
A shrub of 3 meters; known only from the Sierra de Luquillo, (Urban, Symb. 
1: 400.) 
Bryophyllum calycinum. Bru. 
Family Crassulaceae. In Cuba this plant has several names—** hoja bruja,” 
*inmortal,”* *S polipo herbacea,’’ ** siempreviva,”’ and ** vivora,’’—all referring to 
its great tenacity of life, small pieces and even single leaves sending out new growth 
when suspended in a moist atmosphere. Buds arise from the notches of the 
leaves. It is this plant, a common tropical weed, which recently received the 
distinction of a letter from a consular officer which was published by the State 
Department and resulted in numerous inquiries from all parts of the country. It 
has long been known in cultivation, on account of its extreme hardiness, but sel- 
dom flowers outside the Tropics, where it seems to thrive best when growing in 
crevices of bare or sightly shaded rocks; in such situations it flowers abundantly 
in the dry season. (Stahl, 4: 191.) 
Bucago. See Erythrina glauca. 
Bucare. See Erythrina micropteryx and BH. wmbrosa. 
According to Captain Hansard the ** bucare’’ of Porto Rico is the same as the 
tree called ‘‘madre de cacao’? used for shade in the cacao growing districts of 
Venezuela and Trinidad, because of its extremely rapid growth, as much as 10 
feet (3 meters) per year. It is also said to be called * imimortelle”’ in the French 
islands. The South American species is supposed to be BE. iwubrosa, but accord- 
ing to Urban this is not known from the islands north of Trinidad, its place being 
taken by EF. inicropteryx, which is also found in Porto Rico. Hucar, jucar, ucar, 
and ucare are supposed to be variations of bucare, but another quite different tree 
(Bucida buceras) was pointed out to us under those names. 
Buchnera elongata. Espiga bE SAN ANTONIO, 
Family Scrophulariaceae; a stiff, scarcely branched herb, growing on inundated 
sandy soil. (Stahl, 6: 229.) 
Bucida buceras. Ucar. PLATE XX. 
Family Combretaceae; a large tree noted at several points on the south side of 
the island; specimens from Coamo Springs (No. 714). (Stahl, 4: 140.) 
A wild tree abundant in all parts of this and other islands of the West Indies; 
24 to 80 feet high, with a straight trunk 4 to 5 inches in diameter. It furnishes a 
