LEGUME FAMILY (LEGUMINOSAE) 



CASSIA SUBFAMILY (CAESALPINIOIDEAE; CAESALPINIACEAE) 

 76. Algarrobo, West-Indian-locust, courbaril Hymenaea courbaril L. 



This handsome large tree is characterized by: 

 (1) compound leaves consisting of 2 almost stalk- 

 less, very unequal-sided, oblong, shiny green leaf- 

 lets 2— i inches long and %-lV2 inches broad, short- 

 or long-pointed at apex and rounded at base, and 

 sliglitly thickened or leathery; (2) the large 

 spreading wliitish flowers about li/t inches across, 

 nnnierous in erect terminal clusters with stout 

 branches; and (3) the erect, large, oblong, rough, 

 dark brown pods 2-4 inches long, about 1^/^-2 

 inches wide, more than 1 incli thick, with edible 

 pulp. 



A usually evergreen spreading forest tree to 65 

 feet in heiglit and 4 feet in diameter or larger, 

 sometimes with buttresses. Bark is smoothish and 

 grav, becoming 1 inch or more in thickness. Inner 

 bark is light pinkish brown. The stout branches 

 form a rounded, widely spreading crown. The 

 twigs are stout, brown, and much fissured. 



The alternate leaves have a petiole V2 inch long. 

 Leaflet blades are shiny green to dark green on 

 upper surface, dull yellow green and slightly 

 lirownish tinged on lower surface, not toothed on 

 edges, hairless, and show many lighter gland dots 

 when examined with a lens against the light. 



The flower clusters (panicles) are about 4—6 

 inches high and broad, and flattened. The bell- 

 shaped, gray-green, finely hairy, thick basal tube 

 (hyj^anthium) is 3/s inch long and broad ; there are 

 5 slightly thickened, gray-green, haiiy sepals i/4-% 

 inch long; the 5 thin wlute petals are elliptic, 

 %-% inch long and a little unequal, covered with 

 minute gland dots: the 10 .stamens II4 inches long 

 iiave white filaments and red anthers; and the pis- 

 til consists of a stalk projecting beyond the tube, 

 a flattened 1-celled ovai-y less than % inch long, 

 and a verv slender curved style 1 inch long. 



The pods are thick-walled, hard, contain pockets 

 of gtnn, and do not open. There are few to .several 

 oblong, flattened, dark red seeds about 1 inch long 

 imbedded in the thick pale yellow pulp. This 

 sweet and mealy or powdery pulp is edible, though 

 it has an unpleasant odor, and mixed with water 

 forms a drink. The large seeds weigh about 120 

 to a pound. Flowering from early spring to fall, 

 and pods remaining on the tree awhile after 

 maturity. 



The thick sapwood is whitish to gray brown. 

 Heartwood is dark or reddish brown, often with 

 blackish streaks. The wood is very hard, heavy 

 (specific gravity 0.7) , mostly medium textured and 

 usually with interlocked grain. It is very strong, 

 tough, durable, very resistant to attack' by dry- 

 wood termites, and slightly difficult to work." Rate 

 of air-seasoning is moderate and amount of de- 



grade is considerable. Machining characteristics 

 are as follows: planing is fair; turning is excel- 

 lent; shaping, boring, mortising, sanding, and re- 

 sistance to screw splitting are good. 



An important American timber species produc- 

 ing woocl of good quality but of limited quantity 

 in Puerto Eico. Here classed as for furniture and 

 sometimes compared with mahogany. Also used 

 in carpentry, general construction, and for wheels 

 and cogs. Elsewliere enqiloyed in shipbuilding 

 and for railway crossties, posts, looms, cartwheels, 

 and balls. The wood should be attractive as ve- 

 neer, plywood, cabinetwork, interior trim, and 

 turnery. 



The roots and trtmk yield a pale yellow or red- 

 dish resinlike gum known commercially as South 

 American copal. The gum exudes and forms hard 

 hunps which l)ecome buried in the soil at the base 

 of a tree. Sometimes as much as a barrel of gum 

 has been found around the roots of a large tree or 

 at the site of a former tree. The gum is used main- 

 ly in varnish but also for incense and local medi- 

 cines. A honey plant. 



Indians made canoes from the smooth hard thick 

 bark by stripping in one piece the bark of a large 

 tree, sewing the ends together, waterproofing the 

 seams with gum or resin, and inserting wooden 

 crosspieces. The bark has been used in medicines 

 also. 



Efforts to use this species for reforestation in 

 Puerto Rico have shown it to be unadapted to de- 

 graded sites and generally of slow growth. Shade 

 is required at first if the trees are to produce 

 straight trunks. Trees underplanted in a forest 

 near Rio Piedras attained heights ranging up to 

 20 feet after 13 years. Plantings in the open, for 

 shade and ornamental purjioses, produce attractive 

 spreading trees more rapidly. This makes a good 

 roadside shade tree, but locations near houses 

 should be avoided because of the malodorous fruits. 



Scattered in forests, pastures, and along road- 

 sides in the moist and dry coastal and limestone 

 regions of Puerto Rico. Also in Vieques. St. 

 Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola. 



PruLic FORE.STs. — Cauibalaclie, Guajataca, Lu- 

 ([uillo, Maricao, Rio Abajo, Susiia. 



Municipalities where especially common. — 

 25.30,32,42,59,69. 



Range. — Throughout "West Indies from Cuba 

 and Jamaica to Trinidad and Tobago. Also from 

 central Mexico to Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and 

 French Guiana. Rarely planted in southern 

 Florida. 



Otiiek common names. — West-Indian-locust, 

 locust (Virgin Islands) ; algarrobo (Spanish) ; 



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