larger flowers about 4 inches long and broad. 

 The petals are dark red at base, changing in color 

 from pink to yellow and red. 



This genus is represented also by 10 or more 

 species of native and introduced shrubs and herbs, 



including the vegetable okra {Hihiseuft escidentus 

 L.). Amapola or Chinese hibiscus (H. rosor- 

 sinensis L.*) is a popular ornamental shrub with 

 purple, rose, or white petals, introduced from 

 tropical Asia. 



151. Maga 



MALLOW FAMILY (MALVACEAE) 



Montezuma speciosissima Sesse & Moc. 



Maga, a widely planted native tree is easily rec- 

 ognized by its very large red spreading flowei-s 

 .3-31/4 inches long and 3i/o-5 inches broad, with 5 

 rounded overlapping petals. Though generally in 

 flower, identification may be made also by: (1) the 

 long-petioled heart-shaped leaves with blades 

 41/0-9 inches long and 4— 61A inclies broad and usu- 

 ally 7 main veins fi-om base; and (2) the nearly 

 round pointed green fruit 11/4-2 inches in 

 diameter. 



A medium-sized evergreen tree becoming 30-50 

 feet tall and 6-18 inches in trimk diameter, for- 

 merly larger. The gray or brown bark is rough 

 and relatively thick (i.^ inch), deeply fuiTowed 

 on large trunks. Inner bark is light brown, fi- 

 brous, and slightly bitter. The stout, warty twigs 

 are green when young, turning brown; young 

 twigs and other green parts have scattered mi- 

 nute brown scales. 



The alternate leaves have yellow-green petioles 

 2-5 inches long. Leaf blades are abruptly long- or 

 short-pointed at apex, heart-shaped at base, with 

 edges not toothed, slightly thickened, green or 

 yellow green above and paler beneath. 



Flowers are solitary at leaf bases on stout stalks 

 4^51/2 inches long, longer than petioles. Though 

 several are formed on a twig, only 1 flower opens 

 at a time. The cup-shaped green calyx is about 

 % inch long and broad, slightly thickened, shed- 

 ding as a ring after flowering, with 3 narrow green 

 scales (bracts) % inch long at base falling from 

 the bud. The 5 very large petals are 3-31^ inches 

 long and 2-3 inches broad, rounded but broader 

 on 1 side, with minute star-shaped hairs on out- 

 side. Stamens many, %q inch long, on a whitish 

 column about 2% inches long united at base with 

 petals and shedding with them. The pistil is com- 

 posed of a slightly conical yellow-green ovary 

 about % inch long and broad, 4- or 3-celled, slen- 

 der white style 21/4 inches long, and 4 or 3 yellow 

 united stigmas i/4-% inch long. 



The fruits are fleshy or leathery, not splitting 

 open. There are a few brown seeds Vo inch long, 

 averaging about 1,200 to the pound. They lose 

 viability within a month. Flowering and fruiting 

 throughout the year. 



The sapwood is light brown, and the heartwood 

 is rich chocolate brown resembling old mahogany. 

 The wood is rather hard, heavy (specific gravity 

 0.7), fine-textured, vei-y durable, and very resist- 



ant to attack by dry-wood termites. A now scarce 

 furniture woocl used also occasionally for turnery, 

 musical instruments, posts, and poles. 



This tree was formerly widely planted along 

 roadsides and for timber in the public forests. As 

 it proved to be an alternate host of the pink boll- 

 worm {Pecthhophora goss^piellu Saiuiders), its 

 planting was discontinued in the cotton region. 

 Subsequently, propagation of this species has near- 

 ly terminated except for landscaping. Forest 

 plantings stopped when it was found that trees 

 which at first grew straight and rapidly later near- 

 ly ceased growth, became excessively branchy, and 

 produced numerous cankerlike defects on the 

 trunk. Trees in plantations on good soils in the 

 moist limestone region averaged 3.6 inches in di- 

 ameter at an age of 9 years. Another objection to 

 extensive planting even for the flowers is that the 

 trees are very susceptible to a scale insect which 

 deforms trunk and branches and sometimes causes 

 death. In southern Florida and elsewhere the trees 

 have been introduced for ornament and shade. 



This handsome tree is Puerto Rico's own and 

 should be a candidate for adoption as the official 

 tree. "When originally described, it was confused 

 with Mexican collections by the same Spanish 

 botanists, and the range was erroneously given as 

 Mexico. The scarcely appropriate name for this 

 genus of a single species confined to Puerto Rico 

 honors Montezuma, Aztec ruler in Mexico at the 

 time of the Spanish conquest in 1513, but the spe- 

 cific name means very beautiful. 



Native in the moist limestone forest region of 

 Puerto Rico. Extensively planted on the humid 

 coast, lower Cordillera, and lower Luquillo forest 

 regions. Cultivated also in St. Thomas. 



Public forests. — Wild and planted in Camba- 

 lache, Guajataca, and Rio Abajo. Planted in 

 Carite, Luquillo, and Toro Negro. 



MUNIOIPALITTES WHERE ESPECIALLY COMMON. — 



49, 53. 



Range. — Native only in Puerto Rico. Planted 

 in St. Thomas, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Ja- 

 maica, southern Florida, and British Honduras, 

 and perhaps elsewhere. 



Other common names. — maga colorada (Puerto 

 Rico) ; purple haiti-haiti (St. Thomas) ; tulipan 

 del Japon (^Dominican Republic). 



Botanical synonyms. — Thespesia grandif,ora 

 DC, Montezuma grandi-flora (DC.) Urban, Maga 

 gnxindi-fiora (DC.) Urban. 



328 



