seed and growins; rapidly. However, an objection 

 to furtlier planting of this species in Puerto Rico 

 is that the foliage often is attacked by an aphid or 

 plant louse. These tiny insects spread and multi- 

 ply rapidly, secreting a sweet liquid which attracts 

 ants and causes growth of a black fungus or sooty 

 mold over the leaves. jNIany blackened leaves fall, 

 and automobiles parked beneath the trees may be 

 damaged by the liquid. 



As the common name ma.ta-rat6n (mouse killer) 

 suggests, the toxic seeds, bai'k, leaves, and roots are 

 used to poison rats, mice, and other rodents. 

 Another use of the freshly crushed leaves is in 

 poultices in home remedies. The leaves are re- 

 ported to be nutritious for cattle and also to be 

 poisonous for horses and dogs. The flowers, 

 though not fragrant, are visited by bees and are 

 a source of honey. In a few countries the flowers 

 are fried or boiled and eaten. 



The names madre de cacao and mother-of-cocoa, 

 applied to this species is some areas, indicate that 

 the trees are grown also as shade trees in cacao 

 plantations. Before the Spanish conquest, the 

 Aztec Indians of Mexico had observed that cacao 

 grew well under these trees, which they named 

 cacahuanantl or mother of cacao. These trees 

 have nodules on their roots containing nitrogen- 

 fixing bacteria which enrich the soil. 



Another use of mata-raton is support for vanilla 

 vines. In a few countries the trees, though not 

 evergreen, have been planted for coffee shade. 



In Puerto Rico this species is common along 

 roads, in fence rows and as an ornamental in the 

 moist and dry coastal regions, the moist limestone 

 region, and lower mountain regions. It may be 

 naturalized locally. Also planted occasionally in 

 St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Tortola. 



R.\NGE. — Native from Mexico to Colombia, 

 Venezuela, and Guianas. Introduced and becom- 

 ing naturalized in "West Indies from Cuba and 

 Jamaica to Lesser Antilles, Trinidad, and Cura- 

 sao. Planted also in southern Florida and in 

 South America south to Brazil. Also introduced 

 into the Old World tropics, including Africa and 

 southern Asia and recorded as naturalized in the 

 Philij^pine Islands. 



Other coimon names. — madre de cacao (Puer- 

 to Rico) ; pea-tree (Virgin Islands) ; mata-raton, 

 madre de cacao (Spanish) ; pinon de Cuba (Do- 

 minican Republic) ; pinon amoroso, pinon florido, 

 bien vestida, pifion violento (Cuba) ; cacahuan- 

 anche, cocoite (Mexico) ; madera negra (Hon- 

 duras, Costa Rica, Panama) ; madriado, madrial, 

 cacaguance, cacagua (Honduras) ; palo de hierro, 

 cacahuanance (El Salvador) ; madriado (Nicara- 

 gua) ; bala, balo (Panama) ; St. Vincent plum, 

 quick-stick (Jamaica) ; Nicaragua cocoa-shade, 

 madura (Trinidad) ; quick-stick (British Gui- 

 ana) ; lilas etranger (Haiti) ; gliricidia, gliceridia 

 (Guadeloupe) ; yerba di tonka, mataraton, raton- 

 era (Dutch "West Indies) . 



Botanical synonym. — Gliricidia maculata (H. 

 B. K.) Steud. 



86. Retama 



LEGUME FAMILY (LEGUMINOSAE) 



PEA SUBFAMILY (LOTOIDEAE; FABACEAE) 



Lonchocarpus latifolius (Willd.) H. B. K. 



This uncommon though widely distributed tree 

 is characterized by: (1) alternate pinnate leaves 

 with 5-9, usually 7, elliptic leaflets on thick stalks, 

 2-6 inches long, pale light green and finely hairy 

 beneath, paii-ed except at end; (2) numerous 

 crowded purple pea-sliaped flowers %6 ii^^'^ loi^g 

 in lateral clusters which usually are several to- 

 gether near end of twigs; and (3) the distinctive 

 light brown oblong flat pods IVo-i inches long and 

 %-l inch wide, short-pointed at both ends, very 

 thin and like parchment, 1-3-seeded but not split- 

 ting open, often produced in large numbers and 

 rather conspicuous. 



A small to medium-sized deciduous tree 15-30 

 feet high and 4—8 inches in trunk diameter with 

 spreading crown. The bark is gray to brown, 

 smoothish, becoming slightly fissured. The light 

 brown inner bark is slightly bitter. The brown 

 twigs are finely hairy when young. 



The leaves are 7-14 inches long, with finely hairy 

 green axis and leaflet stalks i/g-i^ inch long." Leaf- 

 let blades are 11/4-2% inches wide, mostly short- 

 pointed at apex but varying from blunt to long- 



pointed, rounded or short-pointed at base, the 

 edges not toothed, thin or very slightly thickened, 

 above green to dark green and hairless, and be- 

 neath pale light green and finely hairy. 



Flower clusters (racemes or panicles) are 2-4V^ 

 inches long at base of leaves, the axis usually finely 

 brown hairy and the flower stalks about i/ie inch 

 long, also hairy. The flowere have a bell-shaped 

 5-toothed calyx i/g inch long, finely brown hairy ; 

 dark reddish-purple to greenish-purple corolla of 

 5 stalked petals about 14 inch long, the rounded 

 standai-d notched at apex and finely brown hairy 

 on outside, 2 oblong wings, and 2 elliptic slightly 

 united keel petals; 10 stamens 1/4 inch long with 

 filaments united; and pistil with narrow brown 

 hairy ovary and bent style. 



The minutely hairy pod is thickened and darker 

 brown around the flat seeds, which are brown, 

 kidney-shaped, and vie incli long. Recorded in 

 flower from March to June and in fruit nearly 

 through the year. 



The sapwood is whitish and the heartwood red- 

 dish. The wood is hard, heavy (specific gravity 



198 



