CAPER FAMILY (CAPPARIDACEAE) 



53. Burro prieto, Jamaica caper 



Tliis small tree or shrub of coastal thickets is 

 identified by: (1) minute brown scales on younj; 

 twigs, petioles, under side of leaves, flower stalks, 

 flowers, and fruits; (2) elliptic, slightly leathery 

 leaves short-pointed at apex and base, shiny yellow 

 green on upper sui'face and silvery brown beneath; 

 (■i) purplish flowers about % inch across or 2 

 inches across the long, spreading, brushlike sta- 

 mens, borne in clustei-s at or near ends of twigs; 

 and (4) long, narrowly cylindrical, light brown 

 pods about 8 (4-12) inches long and Yie i'lc'i in 

 diameter, hanging downward, exposing the bright 

 red inner wall upon opening. 



An evergreen tree or shrub attaining 10-20 feet 

 in height, with dense compact crown. The dark 

 gray or brown bark is smooth and thin, becoming 

 fissured. Inner bark is light brown, with spicy 

 taste like horseradish. The slender twigs are sil- 

 very brown and angled, becoming gray. 



The leaves are boi'ne singly (alternate) and have 

 petioles i/i-i,4 i'lch long. Leaf blades are common- 

 ly 2-4 inches long and %-li/4 inches broad, some- 

 times much longer on young planfs or young 

 shoots, the edges slightly turned under. Different 

 races vary in leaf sizes and shape. 



Flower clusters (corymbs) ai'e lateral but ap- 

 pearing terminal, about 2 inches long, with few to 

 several fragrant flowers near end of an angled 

 scalv brown stalk. Flower buds are slightly 4- 

 angled. There are 4 pointed sepals % inch long, 

 finely scaly on outside and hairy on inside; 4 el- 

 liptic purplish petals I/2 inch long, finely scaly on 

 outside; many purplish stamens II/4-IV' inches 

 long, with yellow anthers, widely spreading but 

 soon withering; and scaly, narrowly cylindrical, 

 1-celled ovary %(j inch long including the flat 

 stigma, at end of stalk about 1 inch long. 



The long-stalked pods, slightly narrowed be- 

 tween the seeds, split open irregularly to expose 

 the many elliptic shiny brown seeds i/j inch long. 

 Dirt'erent trees in flower and fruit at various times 

 throughout the year. 



The sapwood is light brown. The heartwood is 

 described as yellow, tinged with red, hard, and 

 heavy. Used only for posts and fuel in Puerto 

 Rico. Elsewhere occasionally cultivated in parks 

 and as a street tree. It is reported that the roots 

 and leaves have been employed medicinally. 



In thickets, chiefly in the dry coastal region of 

 Puerto Rico. Also in Mona, Desecheo, Icacos, 

 Culebra, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and 

 Tortola. 



Capparis cynophallophora L. 



Public forest. — Guanica. 



Range. — Southern Florida including Florida 

 Keys and West Indies from Bahamas and Cuba 

 through Lesser Antilles. Also in southern Mexico 

 and Central America south to Panama. Cultivated 

 outside the natural range. 



Other common names. — bejuco ingles, sapo 

 (Puerto Rico) ; mostacilla, carbonero, ciguarayo, 

 palo diablo (Cuba) ; olivo, frijol (Dominican Re- 

 l)ublic) ; zic (Guatemala) ; endurece maiz (Nica- 

 ragua ) ; Jamaica caper, capertree, zebrawood 

 (United States) ; black-willow (Bahamas, Ja- 

 maica) ; bois Senegal, bois caca, bois d'argent 

 (Haiti) ; bois noir (Guadeloupe). 



Botanical synonym. — Capparais jamaicensis 

 Jacq. 



Five more species of this genus are native in 

 Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Known as 

 burro and caper, these shrubs or small trees are 

 characteristic of thickets in the dry coastal re- 

 gions. Linguam [Capparis indica (L.) Fa we. & 

 Rendle) is the only other species with minute 

 scales on the twigs, under side of leaves, and flow- 

 ers. It difl'ers from the species described above in 

 its flowers with short 4-lobed calyx only Vs inch 

 long and petals hairy as well as scaly. 



The other 4 species have hairless leaves and lack 

 the minute scales. Palinguan or limber caper 

 (Capparis fexuosa. (L.) L.) has usually narrow, 

 linear or elliptic leaves 2-41/^ inches long and 

 %-2 inches broad, blunt or notched at apex, and 

 rounded or narrowed at base. 



Sapo or rat -bean (Capparis hadiuca L.) has 

 large elliptic or oblong leaves 4-12 inches long and 

 iy2-^V2 inches wide, short-pointed at apex, and 

 rounded at base, and small flowers less than V2 

 inch long with the stamens no longer than the 

 petals. 



The remaining 2 species have broader pods not 

 narrowed between the seeds. Burro or broadleaf 

 caper (Capparis coreolohifolia Mart.) has stiff, 

 leathery, broadly elliptic leaves 2-4i^ inches long 

 and U/i-S inches wide, rounded or notched at apex, 

 and usually heart-shaped at base; and the fruit 

 oblong, flattened, 4-7 inches long and II4 inches 

 wide. 



Burro bianco (Capparis porforicensis Urban) 

 has elliptic leaves 11/2-41/0 inches long and 1-2 

 inches broad, rounded" or short-pointed at apex, 

 short-pointed at base ; and the short elliptic fruit 

 only 114-214 inches long and about % inch wide. 



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