COOK AND COLLINS—-ECONOMIC PLANTS OF PORTO RICO. 147 
Garcinia mangostana. MANGOSTEEN. 
Various attempts have been made to introduce this noble fruit into the West 
Indies, and a tree supposed to be the largest in those islands has been growing for 
many years in the botanic gardens of Trinidad. It began to fruit in 1875 and has 
continued to do so at irregular intervals. Seedlings raised from it have proved, 
however, to be very weakly and have not reached maturity, a failure due, in the 
opinion of Superintendent Hart, to the lack of cross fertilization. Additional 
trees have recently been secured from the East in the hope of meeting this defi- 
ciency and making possible the more rapid multiplication of the species, for which 
the natural conditions are considered entirely favorable. 
Mr. F, L. Cervantes, of Habana, has recently called our attention to the fact 
the former existence of the mangosteen in Cuba was reported by the French 
botanist Descourtilz. It was introduced from the East Indies by a wealthy French 
planter of Santiago de Cuba, reached maturity. and fruited, but is now believed 
to have become extinct. It is also reported that the mangosteen is grown in the 
Philippines, especially at Jolo, whence it is shipped in some quantity to Manila. 
Garden egg. 
A Jamaica name for the egg plant, Solanimm melongena. 
Gardenia florida. Carr JASMINE. 
Family Rubiaceae; introduced as an ornamental; 1eported from Yabucoa. 
Garlic. See Allium sativum. 
Garracho. See Quararibea turbinata, 
Garrocho. 
A tree from all parts of the island; height, 30 to 38 feet (9 to 12 meters); diam- 
eter, 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters). Wood white, rather hard; specific 
gravity, 0.713; not used. (Exp. 1857.) 
Gateado. 
A tree from the interior of the island; height, 18 to 20 feet; diameter, 10 to 13 
inches (25 to 32 centimeters). Wood striped red, hard; specific gravity, 1.164; 
used for cabinet work. (Exp. 1857.) 
Grosourdy (2: 384) refers this wood to Brosimum guianensis. He gives the 
height as 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters), and says that the samples from Porto 
Rico are red, striped with black, and would seem to be susceptible of a fine polish. 
Gato. See Helicteres jamaicensis. 
Gen gen. 
Captain Hansard gives for this wood a specific gravity of 0.68. It has been used 
for making the wooden pans for gold seekers in the Luquillo mountains. 
Gengibre. See Zingiber officinale. 
Gengibre amargo. 
The ** bitter ginger’ is probably Zingiber zerumbet. It has large coarse roots, 
and is used as an external remedy in the form of a tincture made with rum. 
Gengibrillo. 
Enumerated by Hill among the ‘ trees’’ used for dyeing and tanning. In 
Ponce we found this name applied to small, fleshy rootstocks having a yellow, 
bitterish juice; possibly they may be those of some species of Curcuma. The 
juice is said to be used for dyeing and marking handkerchiefs. The dealers obtain 
their supplies from the hills, where the plant is believed to grow wild. 
Genipa americana. JAGuA. 
A rubiaceous forest tree native in South America and the West Indies. It 
should not be confused with the genip tree Melicocca bijuga, of family Sapin- 
lad 
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