On St. Croix still another species of jagliey or 

 fig {Ficu,s ohtuHifoUa H. B. K.; synonym F. vr- 

 baniana Warb.) is native and also jjlanted. It has 

 larfje leaves with stout petioles IV^-?) inches long, 

 ovate or elliptic blades 5-9 inches long, usually 



rounded at both ends, and rounded figlike fruits 

 about % inch in diameter, finely hairy, usually 

 paired, and almost stalkless M'ith scales % inch long 

 at base. 



MULBERRY FAMILY (MORACEAE) 



2.3. Laurel de la India, India-laurel fig 



This large ornamental tree, planted in plazas in 

 Puerto Rico, is distinguished by: (1) a short 

 trunk and veiy dense globular crown; (2) small, 

 dark green, sliglitly shiny, thick, leatliery, elliptic 

 leaves iV2-'^ mriies long and %-!% inches broad, 

 with 3 main veins from the base; (3) numerous 

 aerial roots about the trunk or hanging hairlike 

 from the lower branches; (4) milky juice or white 

 latex which exudes from the bark or leaves when 

 the tree is injured; and (5) small rounded figlike 

 fruits about ^le inch in diameter, paired and stalk- 

 less at leaf bases. 



An evergreen tree to 65 feet high and 3 feet in 

 trunk diameter, the crown often broader than tall. 

 Bark is smooth and gray. The inner bark is whit- 

 ish and tasteless, but contains slightly bitter latex. 

 Each gray twig ends in a long-pointed green scale 

 (stipule) % inch or less in length, wliich forms 

 the bud. 



The leaves are alternate on petioles 14-% inch 

 long. Leaf blades are short-pointed at both ends, 

 and often nearly diamond-shaped (rhomboidal), 

 paler beneath. Tlie 2 lateral veins from the base 

 continue near the toothless margin. 



The fleshy multiple fruits (syconia), with an in- 

 conspicuous pointed opening at apex, are green, 

 turning yellow or reddish at maturity. There are 

 3 pointed, finely hairy scales (bracts) Vie i'^ch 

 long at base. Inside the fruit are borne many tiny 

 male and female flowers (monoecious) and seeds 

 Fruiting probably through the year. 



Ficus retusa L.* 



The sapwood is whitish, and the heartwood is 

 light brown. The wood is medium-weight, hard 

 (specific gravity 0.5), has growtli rings, and is 

 very susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites. 



Planted in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands 

 for ornament and shade. Large specimens are to 

 be found in and around San Juan and in the 

 plazas of various towns, particularly in the south- 

 eastern part of the island. The dense crowns are 

 frequently trimmed into roimded shapes. Diffi- 

 culties of propagation have prevented this rapidly 

 growing tree from being planted more connnonly. 

 Rooting of cuttings is uncertain but sometimes 

 successful. Better results liave been obtained by 

 air layering, or marcottage, in which a fairly large 

 branch can be used. In some places this tree is 

 considered objectionable because of its size, the 

 litter of the numerous fruits, or because of a thrips 

 insect which deforms the foliage and may irritate 

 the eyes of persons beneath the tree. 



Range. — Native of India and Malaya but widely 

 planted in tropica] i-egions. Southern Florida, 

 Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, 

 Lesser Antilles, Trinidad, and Curagao. Also 

 from Mexico to Chile and Brazil. 



Other common names. — jagiiey (Puerto Rico) ; 

 fig (Virgin Islands) ; laurel de la India (Span- 

 ish) ; laurel, alamo exti'anjero (Mexico) ; pivijay 

 (Colombia); India-laurel fig, Indian-laurel 

 (United States, English). 



Botanical synonym. — Ficus nitida Thunb., 

 not Blume. 



72 



