which appear naturally within the public forests 

 in some places are beinfj protected and cared for. 



Formerly distributed widely in the lower Lu- 

 quillo and lower Cordillera forests, where it was 

 the dominant tree. Because this species does not 

 readily reinvade open or cutover areas, it has dis- 

 aitjieared from all but the least disturbed forests. 

 Now chiefly limited to the i-emaining virgin or 

 protected rain forest of the lower slopes of the 

 Luquillo Mountains but also remaining in several 

 smaller isolated areas in the lower Cordillera. 



Pi'BLiG FORESTS. — Carite, Guilarte, Luquillo, 

 Maricao, Tore Negro. 



Municipalities where especially common. — 

 10, 27, 52, 58, 64, 70. 



Range. — Puerto Rico and Lesser Antilles from 

 St. Kitts to Grenada. 



Other common names. — gommier blanc (Do- 

 minica) ; candlewood (English) ; gommier (com- 

 merce, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada) ; 

 grommier blanc, gommier montagne, bois cochon 

 (Guadeloupe, Martinique) ; gommier, gommier a 

 canot (Guadeloupe). 



BoT.vNicAL synonyms. — DocTyodes hexandra 

 (Hamilt.) Griseb., PachyJoius hexandrus 

 (Hamilt.) Engler. 



107. Masa 



BURSERA FAMILY (BURSERACEAE) 



Tetragastris balsamifera (Sw.) Kuntze 



This large tree is characterized by : (1) pinnate 

 leaves with 5-9 (commonly 7) lanceolate to ellip- 

 tic, abruptly short-pointed, dark green leaflets .'5-7 

 inches long, in pairs except for end one, long- 

 pointed at apex, short-pointed and symmetrical at 

 the base, fragrant when crushed, and with promi- 

 nent translucent venation; (2) several to many 

 small, 4-lobed, whitish and greenish flowers about 

 %Q inch long are borne in tei'minal and lateral 

 clusters: and (3) rounded fruits %-l inch in di- 

 ameter in grapelike clusters. 



An evergi-een tree attaining 50-80 feet in height 

 and l-iyo fpet in trunk diameter. Bark smooth- 

 ish, slightly fissured or flaky, and gray, the inner 

 bark brown and bitter. Twigs stout, gray brown, 

 finely hairy when young. 



The alternate leaves are 7-18 inches long. The 

 leaflets have stalks Vi inch long (end one to 1 inch) 

 and blades 3-7 inches long and li/i-2% inches 

 broad, not toothed on edges, .slightly thickened, 

 dark green and slightly shiny above, paler and 

 with raised veins beneath. 



Flower clusters (panicles) are terminal and lat- 

 eral, branched, 2-7 inches long. The slightly fra- 

 grant small flowers are male and female on differ- 

 ent trees or some flowers containing both sexes 

 (polygamous). Calyx is 4-lobed, greenish; co- 

 rolla 4-lobed, whitish, brown tinged, the lobes not 

 spreading; stamens 8; and pistil with 4-celled 

 ovary, short style, and 4-lobed stigma. Fruits 

 (drupes) are 2-4-celled, with 2 seeds in each cell. 

 Flowering and fruiting throughout the year. 



The sapwood is whitish, becoming yellowish 

 brown, while the heartwood is light reddish brown, 

 becoming orange brown with darker streaks. The 

 wood is heavy (specific gravity 0.63), hard, tough, 

 strong, of uniformly fine texture, of irregular to 



very roey grain, with indistinct growth layers, 

 and fragrant. Rate of air-seasoning is rapid, and 

 amount of degrade is minoi'. Machining charac- 

 teristics are as follows: planing and resistance to 

 screw splitting are fair; shaping, turning, boring, 

 and sanding are good ; and mortising is excellent. 

 The wood is susceptible to attack by dry-wood ter- 

 mites but generally durable to very durable in con- 

 tact with the ground. 



In Puerto Rico the wood is used for furniture, 

 cabinetwork, paneling, interior construction, and 

 oai-s. It is .suitable also for millwork, light and 

 heavy construction, and flooring. Now it is not 

 sufficiently common in large sizes to be an impor- 

 tant timber locally. However, the species regen- 

 erates readily in the forest, gi'ows rapidly, and is 

 of good form, and therefore may become import- 

 ant. 



Found in little-disturbed forest in the lower 

 mountain, moist limestone, and moist and dry 

 coastal regions of Puerto Rico. Also St. Croix. 



Public forests. — Cambalache, Carite, Guaja- 

 taca, Guanica, Luquillo, Maricao, Eio Abajo, 

 Susua, Toro Negro. 



Municipalities where especially common. — 

 14, 30, 49, 60. 



Range. — Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, 

 and Guadeloupe. Reported from Cuba, probably 

 in error. 



Other common names. — palo de aceite (Puerto 

 Rico) ; abey, amacey, abey hembra (Dominican Re- 

 public) ; bois cochon (Haiti) ; gommier, gommier 

 encens (Guadeloupe). 



Botanical synonyms. — Hedwigia balsamifera 

 Sw., Tetragastris balsamifera var. lanceifolia 

 Swart. 



240 



