FOUR-O'CLOCK FAMILY (NYCT AGIN ACE AE) 

 33. Corcho, black mampoo Torrubia fragrans (Dum.-Cours.) Standley 



A small to medium-sized tree characterized by : 

 (1) op])osite, obovate or elliptic leaves, usually 

 broadest above middle, 2-6 inches lonp; and 1-21/2 

 inches broad, short-pointed at the apex and gradu- 

 ally narrowed at base to a short petiole; and (2) 

 clustered, cylindrical, fleshy, 1-seeded fruits V^-Vo 

 inch long and %6 inch in diameter, red, turning 

 black, covered by the calyx with 5 teeth at apex. 



An evergreen tree 20-40 feet high and to 20 

 inches in trunk diameter, with rounded crown. 

 Tlie bark is smootliish, gray or brown. Inner bark 

 is light brown, slightly bitter. Twigs yellow gi-een 

 when yovmg, becoming gray. 



The leaves have yellow-gi-een petioles i/fe-% 

 inch long and slightly thickened and succulent 

 blades, the edges not toothed, hairless, green or 

 yellow green and slightly shiny above and paler 

 beneath. 



Flowers are male and female on different trees 

 (diiiecious), numerous in stalked, erect, mostly ter- 

 minal, branched clustei-s (panicles) 3-4 inches 

 long and li/j-'^ inches broad, short-stalked or 

 stalkless, greenish, minutely hairy, slightly fra- 

 grant. Male flowers have funnel-shaped a-toothed 

 calyx ^jg inch long and 0-10 longer stamens. 

 Female flowers consist of narrow tubular 5-toothed 

 calyx l/g inch long and ])istil with ovary, slender 

 style, and nmch branclied stigma. Flowers and 

 fruits appear from early spring to summer. 



The sapwood is whitish and soft. The wood is 

 little used in Puerto Rico and elsewliere has even 

 been considered unsuitable for fuel. 



In forests of the moist coast, moist limestone, 

 and lower mountain regions of Puerto Rico. Also 

 Mona, Icacos, Culebra, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. 

 John, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda. 



PtTBLic FORESTS. — Cambalache, Guajataca, Lu- 

 quillo, Rio Abajo, Vega. 



Rang?:. — Almost throughout West Indies (ex- 

 cept Bahamas) from Cuba and Jamaica to Gre- 

 nada, Barbados, and Tobago, and in Bonaire, 

 Curagao, and Ainiba. Also in northern South 

 America from Colombia to Venezuela and 

 Guianas. 



Other common names. — palo de corcho, maja- 

 gua de mona, majagua, emajagua (Puerto Rico) ; 

 perico, palo de perico (Dominican Republic); 

 barrehorno (Cuba); estribo (Colombia); mapoo 

 (St. Lucia, Grenadines) ; beefwood (Barbados) ; 

 mapoo (St. Barthelemy). 



Botanical synonybi. — Fison'ia fragrans Dum.- 

 Cours. 



A second sjiecies of this genus, known as ba- 

 rrehorno {Tornihm discolor (Spreng.) Britton), 

 is distinguished by the oblong or elliptic leaves 

 rounded at apex and usually smaller, 1-21/2 inches 

 long and 1/2-IV2 inches broad. This shrub or small 

 tree is recorded from Puerto Rico and Desecheo. 



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