INTRODUCTION 



About 500 species of trees, from the giants of the 

 luxuriant rain forests to the slirubby trees of dry 

 areas and windswept mountain summits, are na- 

 tive to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, both 

 United States and British (tig. 1). In addition, 

 several hundred tree species from otlier tropical 

 lands around the world have been introduced into 

 the islands because of sliowy flowers, liandsome 

 foliage, dense shade, valuable timber, delicious 

 fruits, or other values. 



Naturally, tliere have been many requests for a 

 reference book on this subject. Information about 

 most trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands 

 has not previously been assembled in nonteclmical 

 form, and drawings of some have never been pub- 

 lislied. Nor are teclmical botanical floras, forestry 

 publications, and miscellaneous .sclent itic refer- 

 ences on this subject generally available. 



Tliis booli describes in detail 250 of the com- 

 moner and more important native and exotic tree 

 species, those most lil^ely to be seen. Identifica- 

 tion of eacli species is aided by a large drawing 

 of tlie leaves, flowers, and fruit and a description 

 that empliasizes the distinguishing characteristics. 

 For furtlier identification, 130 additional, related 

 species are mentioned briefly and compared with 

 those illustrated. Thus, 380 species from forest 

 giants down to small trees are included. 



Tlie primaiy purpose of this book, published 

 also in Spanish (ii'i), is to answer for the people 

 of tliese and nearby areas of the West Indies, both 

 residents and tourists, the question : WHiat tree is 

 this? Having answered that, it aims to give the 

 more important and interesting facts about the 

 tree. It should be helpful to university students, 

 teachers of liigh schools, and instructors in youtli 

 programs such as 4-H Clubs, Boy Scouts, and 

 Girl Scouts. It should be a useful reference in 

 extension and technical assistance programs, agri- 

 cultural research, forestry, and for landowners, 

 landscape architects, ancl gardeners. Foresters 

 and forestry students in continental United States 

 \yill find here the descriptions of many common 

 timber trees of tropical America. 



For the rapidly increasing number of tourists 

 from continental United States, this reference 

 provides the tree names and answers questions. 

 Public forests, both natural and managed, are 

 easily accessible by paved highways. The Virgin 

 Islands National Park contains large forest areas 

 in St. John. Teacliers, students, and all interested 

 in nature can use this field guide in identification. 



This reference will l)e useful over somewhat 

 larger areas in tropical America because most of 

 the tree species figured are widely distributed. It 



will be of value also in the other West Indies 

 and in countries bordering the Caribbean Sea not 

 liaving similar publications. 



Also this book will be helpful within continental 

 United States, notably in southern Florida. More 

 tlian half of the 250 species selected grow also in 

 southern Florida. More than one-fourth, or 65, 

 are in Check List of Native and Naturalized Trees 

 of the United States (19) ; 42 as native, mostly 

 in the Florida Keys or southern Florida main- 

 land, and 23 as naturalized. Two more are 

 shrubs in tlie United States, and the others are 

 planted in southern Florida, although some in 

 limited numbers. 



Because of their value and interest, 72 species 

 of exotic or introduced trees mostly common 

 tlirough tropical America have been included. 

 While tlie remaining 178 species illustrated are 

 native in Puerto Rico, only 28 are confined or 

 endemic thei'e. According to their distribution, 

 101 of these are found also in the Virgin Islands, 

 wliicli have fewer tree species because of their 

 smaller size and lower altitude; 148 are known in 

 other West Indian islands; and 102 grow wild 

 somewhere on the continent, such as in southern 

 Florida, Mexico, Central America, or South 

 America. 



Information presented in addition to that re- 

 quired for identification assists the readers to know 

 the tree better and to judge its suitability for tim- 

 ber, shade, ornament, fruit, or other purposes. 

 These notes include: (1) the size the tree at- 

 tains at maturity; (2) whether evergreen or de- 

 ciduous; (3) tlie normal shape of the crown; (4) 

 the abundance, color, and fragrance of the flowers; 

 (5) the kind of fruit and whether edible or 

 poisonous; (6) the usual period of flowering and 

 fruiting; (7) a brief description of the wood and 

 its uses; (8) other uses of the tree and its prod- 

 ucts; (9) notes on propagation, growth rate, and 

 site adaptability if available; (10) where the tree 

 grows within Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; 

 (11) the geographical distribution, including na- 

 tive home if introduced; (12) other common 

 names listed by country and language; and (13) 

 related native tree species. 



It was not possible to include within one vol- 

 ume an equal number of important though less 

 common tree species. Several hundred additional 

 tree species were recorded by Britton and Wilson 

 (■5) as introduced, mo.stly in small numbers or 

 experimentally, such as in nurseries, experimental 

 forests, arboreta, and gardens. A second volume 

 is planned to describe and illustrate the remaining 

 native tree species and widely planted exotics. 



