48 MERRILL: SYSTEMATIC POSITION OF THE RAIN TREE 



tries. While of comparatively recent introduction into the tropics 

 of the Old World, it is now of very wide distribution and in some coun- 

 tries has already established itself. It was introduced into the Philip- 

 pines in about the year 1860 and is now by far the most common shade 

 tree to be found in the larger towns throughout the Archipelago. The 

 wood, which is dark in color, appears to be of some value, especially 

 for interior finishings. 



In tropical America Samanea Saman is known as guango, samdn, 

 cenizaro, and arbol de la lluvia, in the Philippines as acacia, in various 

 British tropical colonies as rain tree, and in Hawaii as monkey pod. 

 The common English name, rain tree, and its Spanish equivalent, arbol 

 de la lluvia, probably owe their origin to the fact that the "sleep" or 

 closing of the leaflets is a very conspicuous phenomenon, occurring 

 at the approach of and during rains, and at night. The author has 

 never observed, in this species, any dripping of water from hydathodes, 

 such as has been noted in some tropical trees. In tropical countries 

 with which the author is familiar flowering occurs at the height of the 

 dry season. In those countries having a decided dry season the tree 

 is deciduous, but the new leaves appear within a few days after the fall 

 of the old ones, followed at once by anthesis which continues for several 

 months. 



