BURSERA FAMILY (BURSERACEAE) 



105-107) 

 -105. Bursera simaruha. 



Key to the 3 native species, all illustrated (Nos. 

 A. Leaflets asymmetrical at base, less than 3 inches long ; flowers 5-parted- 

 AA. Leaflets symmetrical at base, '2V>-7 inches long. 



B. Leaflets short-pointed or rounded at both ends : flowers 3-parted — 106. Dacryodes excelsa. 

 BB. Leaflets long-pointed at apex, short-pointed at base; flowers 4-parted — 107. Tetragastris balsamifera. 



105. Almacigo, turpentine-tree, gumbo-limbo 



Tliis spreadiiifj; aromatic tree is easily recog- 

 nized by the siiiooth reddish-brown or copper- 

 colored bark, which peels oft' in papery flakes and 

 exposes the greenish-brown layer beneath. Other 

 distinguishing characteristics are: (1) a grayish 

 resin witli taste like turpentine which exudes from 

 cuts in the bark; (2) tlie slightly pungent or tur- 

 pentine odor of crushed leaves and fruits and cut 

 twigs; (3) the pinnate leaves with 5 or 7 (some- 

 times 3) oblong to ovate leaflets ly^-^ inches long, 

 abruptly short-pointed at apex and broad and 

 oblique at base, and (-1) the many small whitish or 

 yellowish-green 5-parted flowers about %6 u^^h 

 across. 



A medium-sized deciduous tree 20-40 feet high 

 with relatively thick trunk 1-2 feet or more in di- 

 ameter, large spreading crooked branches, and thin 

 foliage. The bark is about V2 inch thick, tlie inner 

 bark whitish or reddish, soft, and almost tasteless. 

 Twigs are brownish green, becoming light brown. 



Leaves are alternate and 4—8 inches long. The 

 leaflets are paired except for the end one, short- 

 stalked, oblong to ovate, %-li/^ inches broad, 

 slightly thickened, edges not toothed, mostly hair- 

 less, green or dark green and slightly shiny above, 

 and paler beneath. 



Flower clusters (panicles) are terminal and lat- 

 eral, branched and narrow, and 2-6 inches long. 

 The flowers on slender, usually short stalks are 

 mostly male and female on different trees or 

 some flowers bisexual (polygamous). Calyx is 

 5-toothed; petals 5; stamens 10; and pistil with 

 3-celled ovary, short style, and 3-lobed stigma. 



The fruits (drupelike) are diamond-shaped, 

 slightly 3-angled, pointed at both ends, about 1/2 

 inch long and s/ig "^ch broad, dark pink, splitting 

 into 3 parts, with usually one 3-angled whitish seed 

 % inch long. Flowers and fruits appearing usual- 

 ly in spring before or with the new leaves, some- 

 times in summer. 



Both sapwood and heartwood are a imiform 

 cream to light brown color, though turning bluish 

 gray because of sap-staining. The wood is light- 

 weight (specific gravity 0.29), fine-textured, soft, 

 weak, with strong odor, the growth rings absent 

 or indistinct. It is very susceptible to attack by 

 dry-wood termites and other insects and is very 

 perishable. Sap stain develops in freshly cut logs 

 unless milled immediately and the lumber is 

 dipped in an antistain solution before piling. Rate 

 of air-seasoning is rapid, and amount of degrade is 

 minor. Machining characteristics are as follows: 

 planing and sanding are good ; shaping, turning, 



236 



Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg. 



and mortising are very poor; boring is poor; and 

 resistance to screw splitting is excellent. 



The wood is suited for boxes, crates, cement 

 forms, interior carpentiy, light construction, fire- 

 wood, and charcoal. Other products made else- 

 where are matches, match boxes, toothpicks, and 

 utility plywood. 



The aromatic resin known as Chibou, Cacliibou 

 resin, or Gomart resin, has been employed in do- 

 mestic medicines and as glue, varnish, coating for 

 canoes, and incense. A tea substitute has been pre- 

 pared from the leaves. 



The trees are used in Puerto Eico chiefly for liv- 

 ing fenceposts, being easily propagated from cut- 

 tings and posts. They are also planted along road- 

 sides and in hedges and can serve also as living 

 telegraph poles. Because of the attractive colored 

 bark, the trees have been planted as ornamentals 

 in dry soils of southern Florida, where they are 

 also native. 



Xative to the soils derived from limestone in 

 Puerto Rico but seen as a fence row and roadside 

 tree in the coastal and lower mountain regions. 

 Also in Mona, Desecheo, Icacos, Culebra, Vieques, 

 St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola. A 

 few trees of this species in the thorn scrub at the 

 eastern end of St. Croix are the easternmost trees 

 in United States territory. 



Public forests. — Aguirre, Cambalache, Guaja- 

 taca, Guanica, Maricao, Rio Abajo, Susua, Vega. 



Municipalities where especially common. — 

 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 32, 36, 38, 

 44,54,55,61,66,68,75. 



Range. — Southern Florida including Florida 

 Keys and almost tliroughout West Indies from 

 Bahamas and Cuba to Trinidad and Tobago and 

 Curasao and Aruba. Also from Mexico to Colom- 

 bia, Venezuela, and British Guiana. 



Other common names. — West-Indian-birch, 

 gommier (Virgin Islands) ; almacigo (Spanish, 

 commerce) ; indio desnudo (Spanish) ; almacigo 

 bianco, almacigo Colorado (Dominican Republic) ; 

 almacigo. almacigo Colorado (Cuba) ; mulato, palo 

 mulato, chaca, palo retinto (Mexico) ; jiote, palo 

 jiote (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salva- 

 dor) ; chino, chinacahuite, palo chino, chaca, chic- 

 chica, palo pulato (Guatemala) ; chinacuite, jene- 

 quite, chino, palo chino, copon, palo mulato, torch- 

 wood (Honduras) ; jinocuabo, jiiiicuite (Nica- 

 ragua) ; jiiiote, carana, jiiiocuavo (Costa Rica) ; 

 almacigo, carate (Panama) ; almacigo, caratero, 

 guacimo, resbalo mono (Colombia) ; jobo pelon, 

 carana, pellejo de indio, mara, cucheme, palo de 



