MALPIGHIA FAMILY (MALPIGHIACEAE) 



116. Maricao cimarron 



Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) H. B. K. 



This small crooked tree or shrub of dry forests 

 is characterized by: (1) opposite, mostly elliptic 

 leaves 21/2-5 inches long and 1-2 inches broad, 

 short-pointed at apex and base, leathery and with 

 jM-ominent veins; (2) the young twigs, flower 

 stalks, ]ietioles, and very young leaves covered with 

 hne, rusty-red hairs; (3) the flowers %-% inch 

 across with 5 rounded yellow petals narrowed into 

 long stalks, in terminal clusters on stalks which 

 curve downward ; and (4) the nearly round yellow 

 fruits 1/^ inch or less in diameter, sour but edible. 



A small evergreen tree or shrub attaining 15-25 

 feet in height and 10 inches in trunk diameter, 

 with open, wide spreading crown. The baik is 

 gray to dark brown, becoming thick and very 

 rough, with irregular large warts. The inner 

 bark, more than % inch thick, is streaked with 

 jiink and red, and is bitter. 



The leaves, with petioles %-% inch long, are 

 variable in shape and size, edges not toothed, 

 upper surface green, slightly shiny, and almost 

 hairless at maturity, and lower .surface light green 

 and wi(h larger veins rasty-red hairy or nearly 

 hairless. 



Flower clusters (racemes) are 3-4 inches long. 

 The many yellow flowers are borne along the erect 

 rusty hairy axis on flower stalks %-V2 ii''ch long 

 and curved downward, also rusty hairy. The 

 calyx is pale yellow, rusty haii-y, %,; inch long, 

 5-lobed with 10 oblong glands at base outside; the 

 5 bright yellow petals widely spreading, i/4-% 

 inch long, nearly round but narrowed into long 

 stalks; 10 pale yellow stamens i/g inch long; ancl 

 pale green pistil l/g inch long, including 3-celled 

 ovary with 3 slender styles. The fruits (drupes) 

 are juicy and have a large stone. Flowering and 

 fruiting from spring to fall. 



The reddish-brown wood is hard, heavy (specific 

 gravity 0.7), strong but brittle, and only moder- 

 ately durable. Considered suited for construction, 

 though generally too small, and in other places 

 burned for charcoal. 



The fruits are eaten raw or cooked or prepared 

 in a drink like lemonade and are consumed by 

 hogs and other animals, domestic and wild. In 

 Mexico and Central America the trees are planted 

 for the fruits, which are larger and ditferent in ap- 

 pearance. A light brown dye for cotton textiles is 

 extracted from the fruit rind in Guatemala. Be- 

 cause of their many golden flowers the plants are 

 classed as ornamentals and have been introduced 

 for this purpose in southern Florida. Also re- 

 ported to be honey plants. The bark has been em- 

 ployed for tanning and in home remedies. 



This species is found chiefly in open forests of 

 the lower Cordillera forest regions in southwestern 

 and western Puerto Rico. 



Public forest. — Susiia. 



Range. — Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, St. 

 Martin, Dominica, Barbados, Trinidad, and Cura- 

 sao. Also from southern Mexico to Peru, Bolivia, 

 Paraguay, Brazil, and (niianas. Planted in 

 southern Florida. 



In some parts of its range, such as the savannas 

 of Cuba and the llanos of Colombia and Venezuela, 

 this tree is a common and characteristic shrubby 

 tree on the grassy plains. Some authors have dis- 

 tinguished varieties of this widely distributed spe- 

 cies whose leaves vary in shape, size, and hairiness. 



Other commox names. — maricao verde, per- 

 alejo, peralejo bianco (Puerto Rico) ; doncela 

 (commerce) ; peralejo, maricao (Dominican Re- 

 public) ; peralejo, peralejo de sabana (Cuba) ; 

 nanche, nance, nance agrio, chi, changugo (Mex- 

 ico) ; nance, nancite (Central America) ; chi, tapal 

 (Guatemala) ; nancito, crabo (Honduras) ; nance 

 verde (El Salvador) ; wild-cherry (Panama) ; 

 chaparro, chaparro manteca, yuco, peraleja, noro 

 (Colombia) ; chaparro manteco, chaparro de sa- 

 bana, manteco, manteco merey, manero (Vene- 

 zuela) ; savanna serrette (Trinidad) ; craboo, 

 crapoo, wild craboo (British Honduras); huria 

 (British Guiana) ; sabana kwari moeleidan, hori, 

 .sabana mango (Surinam). 



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