MYRTLE FAMILY (MYRTACEAE) 



194 Malagueta, bay-rum-tree 



The bay-rum-tree or malagiieta, including the 

 variety ausii, is native and also cultivated both for 

 the essential oil in its leaves and twigs and for 

 ornament and shade. It is easily recognized by 

 the strong pungent odor of the leaves when 

 crushed. Other distinguishing characteristics are : 

 (1) erect fonn with a dense columnar dark green 

 crown; (2) smooth gray to light brown bark peel- 

 ing off in thin strips exposing lighter gray shades 

 beneath; (3) opposite, elliptic or obovate, mostly 

 small, stiff and leathery leaves rounded at both 

 ends or the apex notched or sometimes short- 

 pointed, with minute gland dots, shiny dark green 

 on upper surface and beneath paler or finely gray 

 hairy, with midrib sunken and edges rolled under; 

 (4) white flowers % inch or more across the 5 

 petals, several to many in lateral and terminal 

 branched clusters; and (5) the rounded or elliptic 

 fleshy black (or finely gray haiiy) fruits %6-V2 

 inch in diameter. 



This is a variable species with races differing in 

 shape, size, color, and hairiness of leaves, shape 

 and hairiness of fruit, and in amount and quality 

 of oil. One variety called ausu {Pimenta race- 

 mosa var. grisea (Kiaersk.) Fosberg) is char- 

 acterized by finely gray or white hairy coats on 

 under surface of leaves, young twigs, branches of 

 flower clusters, and fruits. 



A small to medium-sized evergreen tree to 40 

 feet high and 8 inches or more in trunk diameter, 

 the trunk often slightly angled and grooved, or 

 sometimes shrubby. Inner bark is pinkish and 

 slightly bitter and astringent. The twigs are 

 green or dark green, with gland dots, hairless ( or 

 finely gray hairy), and angled when young, be- 

 coming brown. 



The leaves have short, green, reddish-tinged 

 petioles %-% inch long and blades 11/4-4 inches 

 long and l-2i^ inches broad or larger (recorded to 

 6 inches long), hairless to finely gray hairy 

 beneath. 



The flower clusters (cymes) are 1-3 inches long 

 and broad, gland-dotted, and bear fragrant gland- 

 dotted flowers on short stalks. There is a light 

 green tubular base (hypanthium) less than Vs i'^''^ 

 long and broad, extending beyond ovary; 5 broad, 

 spreading sepals less than %6 ii^ch long; 5 white 

 rounded petals more than i/g inch long and widely 

 spreading; numerous white stamens %6 inch long; 

 and pistil composed of inferior 2-celled ovary and 

 slender, slightly bent, white style %6 inch long. 



The berrylike fruits have sepals attached at apex 

 and contain a few brown seeds more than Vs "i^h 

 long. Flowering mainly in spring and summer 

 (April to August) and maturing fruit in late sum- 

 mer and fall (August to October). 



The sapwood is light brown, and the heartwood 

 brownish red or blackish and mottled. The wood 

 is very hard, very heavy (specific gravity 0.9), 



Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J. W. Moore 



strong, tough, durable, and resistant to attack by 

 dry-wood termites. Employed for posts and in 

 carpentry, it is said to split readily and to be ex- 

 cellent for fuel. 



The main product is myrcia oil (bay oil) ob- 

 tained by distillation of the leaves and twigs and 

 which is the important ingredient in bay rum, used 

 in cosmetics and medicines. A yield of more than 

 1 pound of bay oil has been extracted from 100 

 jiounds of leaves. Bay rum was originally pre- 

 pared by distilling the leaves in rum. Compound 

 myrcia spirit (bay rum) is composed of bay oil, 

 orange oil, pimenta oil, alcohol, and water. 



Confined chiefly to the dry slopes of the lower 

 Cordillera region of southwestern Puerto Rico, 

 but commercial plantations grow near Adjuntas, 

 Patiilas, and Guayama. Also in Vieques, St. 

 John, St. Thomas, and Toi-tola. Reported long 

 ago from St. Croix and now planted there. In 

 St. John large forests of this species under man- 

 agement have produced oil of superior quality. 



Public forests. — Carite, Guajataca, Luquillo, 

 Maricao, Susiia. 



Range. — Through West Indies from Cuba and 

 Jamaica to Grenada and Tobago. Also in Vene- 

 zuela and Guianas. Planted in southern Florida, 

 Bermuda, Bahamas, and Trinidad, and in East 

 Indies. 



Other common names. — ausii, limoncillo 

 (Puerto Rico) ; wild cilliment, wild cinnamon, 

 cinnamon (Virgin Islands) ; malagueta, ozila, 

 caiielillo (Dominican Republic) ; pimienta de 

 Tabasco (Cuba) ; bay-rum-tree. West Indian bay- 

 berry (English) ; bayberry-tree, wild cinnamon, 

 wild olive (Jamaica) ; cinnamon (Montserrat, 

 Grenadines); bayleaf (Barbuda, Tobago); bois 

 dTnde Frangais (Haiti) ; bois dTnde (Guade- 

 loupe, Martinique, St. Lucia) ; bay boom 

 (Surinam). 



Botanical synonyms. — Amomh caryophyllata 

 (Jacq.) Krug & Urban, Pimenta acrls (Sw.) 

 Kostel. 



Botanical variety. — ausu, Pimenta racemosa 

 var. grisea (Kiaersk.) Fosberg (synonyms P. 

 acris var. grisea Kiaersk., A7no7nis caryophyllata 

 var. grisea (Kiaersk.) Krug & Urban, A. grisea 

 ( Kiaersk. ) Britton ) . 



The generic name Pimenta is taken from the 

 Spanish name for allspice, pimienta {Pimsnta 

 dioica (L.) Merr.*; synonyms P. officinalis Lindl., 

 P. pimenta (L.) Cock.). This related species of 

 Cuba, Jamaica, and continental tropical America 

 is sometimes planted in Puerto Rico and the Vir- 

 gin Islands. It has elliptic or oblong leaves 3-6 

 inches long and many small white flowers about 

 5/i6 inch across, with 4 petals. The dried green 

 berries I/4 inch or less in diameter, with a flavor re- 

 sembling a mixture of clove, cinnamon, and nut- 

 meg (or all spices), are used as a condiment. 



414 



