COMBRETUM FAMILY (COMBRETACEAE) 



Key to the 5 species illustrated (Nos. 180-184) 



A. Leaves mostly clustered at ends of twigs; petiole without glands, blade broadest beyond middle; upland trees. 

 B. Leaves less than 3 inches long, green or yellow green. 



C. Twigs spineless ; fruit an elliptic pointed drupe about % inch long — 180. Buchenavia capitata. 

 CC, Twigs often with paired spines ; fruits about V< inch long, with calyx at apex, some deformed as slender 

 hornlike galls 2-3 inches long — 181. Bticida buceras. 

 BB. Leaves 6-11 inches long, turning reddish before falling — 184. Terininalia catappa* 

 AA. Leaves evenly spaced along twigs: petiole with 2 glands near the elliptic blade; trees of mangrove swamp forests. 

 D. Leaves alternate, long-pointed at both ends — 182. Conocarpus erectus. 

 DD. Leaves opposite, rounded at both ends — 183. Lagiincularia racemosa. 



180. Granadillo 



This large, spreading timber tree is character- 

 ized by : ( 1 ) a striking thin crown composed of a 

 few main, widely spreading nearly horizontal 

 branches; (2) erect clusters of small reverse lance- 

 shaped (oblanceolate) or spoon-shaped (spatu- 

 late) yellow-green leaves crowded at ends of short 

 erect twigs from horizontal branches; (3) many 

 small greenish flowers about Vs inch across at the 

 end of a lateral stalk, altogether 1-1 i/o inches long; 

 and (3) elliptic greenish fruits %-% inch long 

 and 14 inch in diameter, pointed at both ends and 

 slightly 4- or 5-angled, single or paired. 



A tree growing to 60-80 feet tall and 2-i feet in 

 trunk diameter, with straight trunk becoming but- 

 tressed at base. Deciduous but with the new yel- 

 lowish foliage appearing soon after leaf fall in 

 most areas. The light brown bark is smoothish, 

 with many small fissures. The inner bark is yel- 

 lowish and bitter. The brown to gray twigs, finely 

 rusty-brown hairy when young, have slender leaf- 

 less areas and shorter stout spurs bearing leaves 

 or leaf scars close together. 



The leaves are alternate, though clustered. Pet- 

 ioles are %-% inch long. Leaf blades are 1^/4-3 

 inches long, V2-IV2 inches broad, roiuided at apes 

 and long-pointed at base, broadest beyond middle, 

 the edges flat or rolled under, becoming thickened 

 and leathery, hairless or nearly so when mature, 

 shiny yellow green on upper surface and paler 

 beneath. 



Flower clusters (spikes or heads) V^-^A iiich 

 long on hairy stalks i^-l inch long are inconspicu- 

 ous among the new leaves. The crowded, hairy 

 flowers are both bisexual and male (polygamous). 

 Tlie calyx is broadly cup-shaped, 5-toothed, Vie 

 inch long, soon falling, and there are 10 stamens; 

 and the pistil has an inferior hairy, 1-celled ovary. 



Fruits (drupes) borne on a stalk about 1 inch 

 long resemble an olive, are slightly fleshy and bit- 

 ter, and contain 1 large stone. Flowering mainly 

 in winter and spring and maturing fruits through 

 the year. 



The light yellow to golden-brown heartwood is 

 not clearly separated from the pale yellow sap- 

 wood. The attractive, good quality wood is mod- 

 erately hard, moderately heavy (specific gravity 

 0.61), and strong. It has high luster, roey or 



Buchenavia capitata (Vahl) Eichl. 



straight grain, medium texture, and growth rings 

 marked by narrow bands of darker pores. The 

 lumber air-seasons rapidly with only a very small 

 amount of degrade. It finishes well and takes a 

 high satiny polish. Machining characteristics are 

 as follows : planing, shaping, turning, boring, mor- 

 tising, sanding, and resistance to screw splitting 

 are good. The heartwood, sometimes found among 

 the timbers of old buildings, is resistant to attack 

 by dry-wood termites and is fairly durable in the 

 ground, but the sapwood is perishable. 



Though not widely used, the wood is highly rec- 

 ommended for furniture and cabinetwork. It is 

 suited also for construction, framing, flooring, ply- 

 wood, decorative veneer, interior trim, boatbuild- 

 ing, boxes and crates, and turnery. 



Planted as a shade tree in soutliem Florida, 

 where it is reported to be hardy and suitable for 

 dry soils and exposed sites. Classed also as an 

 ornamental in Puerto Rico. Requires ample light 

 for good growth. The bark is high in tannin. 



A prominent tree of the forest canopy chiefly in 

 the lower mountain and moist limestone re- 

 gions, descending in some places to the moist coast 

 of Puerto Rico. Also in Tortola. 



Public forests. — Carite, Guajataca, Guilarte, 

 Luquillo, Maricao, Susua, Toro A'egro. 



Municipalities where especially common. — 

 4, 10, 11, 20, 22, 29, 35, 42, 43, 46, 47, 50, 53, 58, 61, 

 68, 70, 73. 



Range. — Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto 

 Rico and Tortola, Lesser Antilles, and Trinidad 

 and Tobago. Also in Panama and South America 

 from Venezuela to French Guiana, Brazil, and 

 Bolivia. 



Other common names. — gri-gri, ciruelillo, 

 guaraguao (Dominican Republic) ; jiicaro ama- 

 rillo, jiicaro mastelero, jociuna, jucarillo (Cuba) ; 

 amarillo boj, amarillo, chicharro (Venezuela) ; 

 yellow olivier (Trinidad) ; yellow sanders (To- 

 bago) ; wild olive (Jamaica) ; bois margot, bois 

 gris-gris (Haiti) ; bois gli-gli, bois gri-gri, bois 

 olivier (Guadeloupe) ; olivier gi-and bois, an- 

 gouchi des sables (French Guiana) ; matakki, 

 gemberhout, katoelima, toekoeli (Surinam). 



Botanical synonym. — Bucida capitata Vahl. 



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