Extensively planted for ornament and shade. 

 This attractive tree is easily propagated from seed 

 and cuttinjrs, sprouts from stumps, and jrrows rap- 

 idly. However, it is short-lived; and the brittle 

 linibs are ea.sily broken by the wind. 



This species is poisonous and has insecticidal 

 properties, the leaves and dried fruits having- been 

 used to protect stored clothing and other articles 

 apainst insects. Various parts of the tree, includ- 

 ing fruits, flowers, leaves, bark, and roots, have 

 been employed medicinally in different countries. 

 The berries are toxic to animals and have caused 

 deaths of pigs. An oil suitable for illumination 

 Avas extracted experimentally from the berries. 

 The hard, angular, bony centers of the fruits, 

 when removed by boiling, are dyed and strung as 

 beads. In parts of Asia this is a sacred tree. 



In Puerto Rico planted and locally naturalized 

 in the coastal and lower mountain regions. Com- 

 monly planted and escaping in the Virgin Islands. 

 Vieques, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. Jolm, and 

 Tortola. 



Raxoe. — Native of southern Asia, probably 

 from Iran and Himalaya to China, but culti- 

 vated and naturalized in tropical and subtropical 

 countries over the world. Bermuda and through- 

 out AVest Indies. Also fi-om southern United 

 States and Mexico south to Argentina and Brazil. 



Hardy also in warm temperate regions, this 

 tropical species is naturalized in southeastern 

 United States and grows north to Virginia and 

 Oklalioma and west to California. 



Other cojimon names. — lilaila, pasilla (Puerto 

 Rico) : lilac (Virgin Islands) ; paraiso (Spanish) ; 

 alilaila, Hla, lilayo, violeta (Dominican Republic) ; 

 jaeinto (Panama); aleli (Venezuela); flor de 

 paraiso (Peru); chinaberry, chinatree, pride-of- 

 Cliina, pride-of-India, umbrella chinabeiry, um- 

 brella-tree (United States) ; hoop-tre«, West-In- 

 dian-lilac, bead-tree (Jamaica) ; chinaberry, West- 

 Indian-lilac (Trinidad) ; paradise-tree (British 

 Honduras) ; lilas (Haiti) ; lilas, lilas du pays 

 (Guadeloupe) ; lilas des Indes (French Guiana) ; 

 aleli, anesita, lilac (Dutch West Indies); cinna- 

 momo (Brazil). 



MAHOGANY FAMILY (MELIACEAE) 



111. Caoba hondurena, Honduras mahogany 



Mahogany, the world's premier cabinet wood 

 and probably the most valuable timber tree in trop- 

 ical America, was not. originally known from 

 Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, but 2 species 

 have been widely planted. Honduras mahogany 

 is recognized by : (1) usually dense crown of shiny 

 green leaves, which are even pinnate and 8-16 

 inches long with 6-12 paired, unequal-sided leaf- 

 lets 21/2-6 inches long; and (2) erect egg-shaped 

 or pear-shaped seed capsules 4i/^-7 inches long and 

 about .3 inches in diameter, splitting upward from 

 the base into 5 parts. Leaves and fruits are much 

 larger than in West Indies mahogany (Sivietenm 

 mahagoni Jacq.). 



A medium-sized to large deciduous tree 60 feet 

 or more in height with clear, straight, erect trunk 

 to 2 feet or more in diameter, becoming buttressed 

 at base. The bark is rough, deeply fissured into 

 flat scales, light brown, and about H inch thick, 

 the inner bark dark reddish and bitter. The stout 

 brown twigs have many raised dots (lenticels). 



The alternate leaves have a .slender round yel- 

 low-green axis ending in a narrow dead point, 

 bearing leaflets on short stalks less than 14 inch 

 long. Blades are I-214 inches wide, elliptic to ob- 

 long, short-pointed at base and abruptly long- 

 pointed at apex, noticeably broader on side toward 

 axis, not toothed on edges, slightly thickened or 

 leathery, green to dark green and slightly shiny 

 on upper sui-f ace, and paler beneath. 



Flower clusters (panicles) 4-6 inches or more in 

 length at base of new leaves bear many small, 



248 



Swietenia macrophylla King* 



short-stalked, fragrant, greenish-yellow flowers 

 nearly i/o inch across. The light green calyx Yiq 

 inch high is .5-toothed; there are 5 oblong, slightly 

 concave, greenish-yellow petals 14 i"ch long, 

 greenish-yellow stamen tube nearly I/4 i'l^^h long, 

 bearing inside apex 10 tiny brown stamens between 

 as many teeth; and pistil %6 ii^^l^ lo'^S ^ith 

 orange-red basal disk, light green rounded 5- 

 celled ovary, style, and bi-oad flattened stigma. A 

 few flowers have parts in 4's. 



The seed capsules are borne on long stout stalks, 

 thick-walled and heavy, and the large, 5-angled 

 axis remains on the tree. The numerous flat, long- 

 winged, brown seeds are 3-31/2 inches long and %-l 

 inch broad, about 900 to the pound. Flowers 

 liorne in May and June, and seeds produced gen- 

 erally in the late fall. 



The thin sapwood 1-2 inches wide is yellowish 

 white. The heartwood is pinkish when freshly 

 cut, later becoming light reddish brown with a 

 golden luster. The wood is moderately light- 

 weight (specific gi-avity 0.5-0.6), strong, of medi- 

 um to fine unifonii texture, with interlocked grain 

 and attractive figure, and growth layers indistinct. 

 It is one of the easiest woods to work and takes an 

 excellent polish. Rate of air-seasoning is rapid, 

 and amount of degrade very minor except when 

 tension wood is present. Machining characteris- 

 tics are as follows: sanding is excellent; planing, 

 shaping, turning, boring, mortising, and resistance 

 to screw splitting are good. The heartwood is 

 resistant to decay and generally is resistant to at- 



