143. Ceboruquillo 



SOAPBERRY FAMILY (SAPINDACEAE) 



Thouinia striata Radlk. 



A small to medium-sized tree of Puerto Rico 

 recognized by : ( 1 ) compound leaves with 3 elliptic 

 or obovate leaflets, the middle leaflet largest, broad- 

 est beyond middle, saw-toothed on edges, and 

 short-pointed at apex and base, the lower surface 

 soft hairy and with prominent veins; (2) small 

 whitish flowers less than % inch long and broad, 

 4-parted, numerous, and short-stalked in very nar- 

 row clusters 1^^— 4 inches long and % inch wide at 

 leaf bases; and (3) brown narrow winged key 

 fruits %-% inch long, borne in 3's. 



An evergreen tree to 50 feet in height and 8 

 inches in trunk diameter, with an erect crown. 

 The bark is gray, rough, broken into thin rectan- 

 gular scaly plates. Inner bark is light brown and 

 slightly bitter. The brownish twigs are finely 

 hairy, green when young. 



The alternate leaves are 4—8 inches long, with 

 leaflets at the end of a minutely hairy petiole 

 1/^-214 inches long, the leaflets with short stalks 

 about i/g inch long. Leaflet blades are 2i/^-6 inches 

 long and 1-3 inches broad, slightly thickened, the 

 upper surface yellow green and hairless except on 

 veins, the lower surface light green and densely 

 soft hairy. 



The lateral flower clusters (panicles) commonly 



have 2 main finely hairy branches. Flowers are 

 male, female, and bisexual (polygamous), borne 

 on stalks less than i/g inch long. There are 4 

 yellow-green hairy sepals less than i/m inch long; 

 4 white narrow hairy petals more than ^g inch 

 long, notched at apex; 8 stamens on a disk; and 

 pistil composed of hairy 3-celled ovary and slen- 

 der style 3-lobed at apex. 



The fruits (samaras) are dark brown at the nar- 

 row base, slightly hairy, 1-seeded, with a long light 

 brown wing i^ inch broad. Flowering and fruit- 

 ing fi'om spring to fall. 



The sapwood is light brown. The wood is hard, 

 tough, and heavy (specific gravity 0.9). It is used 

 chiefly for ])OSts. 



Forests of the moist limestone and lower Cordil- 

 lera regions in western Puerto Rico. 



Public forests. — Cambalache, Guajataca, Mari- 

 cao, Rio Abajo, Susua. 



Municipalities where espeoiallt common. — 7, 

 9, 23, 24, 31, 34, 68. 



Range. — Known only from Puerto Rico. 



Other common names. — quiebra-hacha, que- 

 bracha, serrasuela, guaba (Puerto Rico). 



Botanical synonym. — Thy ana striata (Radlk.) 

 Britton. 



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