FOUR'O'CLOCK FAMILY (NYCTAGINACEAE) 



32. Corcho bianco, water mampoo 



A medium-sized to large tree recognized by : ( 1 ) 

 opposite, usually large, elliptio or nearly round 

 leaves 2V2-8 (sometimes 10) inches long and nearly 

 as broad, mostly rounded at apex and rounded or 

 often a little heart-shaped at base; (2) gray 

 smooth trunk and branches; (3) numerous green- 

 ish flowers crowded in stalked ball-like clustei-s 

 I-I14 inches in diameter, male and female on dif- 

 ferent trees (dioecious) ; and (4) narrow dry fruits 

 %-i/2 inch long and more than "],; inch in diameter, 

 iO-angled, with 5 rows of dot I ike glands near 

 apex. 



This deciduous tree l^ecomes 40-50 feet in height, 

 with short, often thick trunk to 2-3 feet iii di- 

 ameter, stout branches, and rounded crown. The 

 twigs are green and finely rusty-brown hairy when 

 young, becoming gray and stout. 



The leaves have stout round ]>etioles I-I14 inches 

 long. Blades are without teeth on edges, rusty- 

 brown hairy when young liut becoming hairless or 

 nearly so, shiny yellow green above and beneath 

 dull light green with pinkish main veins. 



Flowei-s appearing with new leaves generally in 

 early spring but sometimes in summer. The ter- 

 minal and lateral clusters of fragrant finely hairy- 

 flowers have stalks 1-2 inches long. Male flowers 



Pisonia subcordata Sw. 



have bell-shaped, S-toothed calyx 1/4 inch long and 

 8-10 longer stamens. Female flowers, less 

 crowded, consist of tubular a-toothed calyx about 

 Yg inch long and pistil with ovai-y, slender style, 

 and much branched stigma. The 1-seeded fruits 

 (akenes) are enclosed by the club-shaped or cy- 

 lindrical calyx, gray green, maturing generally in 

 spring. 



Wood is soft, whitish, lightweight (.specific 

 gravity about 0.5), porous, and not durable. Used 

 for net floats for fishing and as fuel wood in Puerto 

 Rico and for boxes in Guadeloupe. 



In forests in the limestone and lower Cordillera 

 regions of Puerto Rico. A race with very large 

 thin leaves is found on limestone. Also in Icacos, 

 ('ulel)rita, Vieques, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. 

 John, Tortola, and Anegada. 



PiHLK' KoHESTS.— Guajataca, Maricao, Rio 

 Aba jo. 



Range. — Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, and 

 Lesser Antilles from Anguilla and St. Martin 

 south to Guadeloupe and Martinique. 



Other common names. — corcho, palo bobo 

 (Puerto Rico) ; mampoo, loblolly (Virgin Is- 

 lands) ; mapou (St. Barthelemy) ; mapou gris 

 (Guadeloupe) ; mappoo (Dutch West Indies). 



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