MALLOW FAMILY (MALVACEAE) 

 152. Emajagiiilla, otaheita, portiatree Tliespesia populnea (L.) Soland.* 



This tree or shnib of coastal woods, also planted 

 for ornament and shade, is characterized by: (1) 

 larjje bell-shaped flowers 2 inches lon<i and broad, 

 with 5 overlapping petals, pale yellow but turning 

 to purple, single at leaf bases; (2) dark gray, 

 rounded but flattened, slightly 5-ridged, hard, dry 

 fruits about li/4 inches or more in diameter and 

 % inch high; (3) long-petioled, long-pointed, 

 deeply lieart-shaped, darii green shiny leaves with 

 blades 4-8 inclies long and ^i/o-^ inches broad, 

 with usually 7 main veins from base; and (4) 

 tough fibrous bark. 



An evergi-een tree to 30 feet in height and 8 

 inches in trunk diameter witli dense crown, the 

 long spreading lower branches of crowded plants 

 forming dense thickets. Tlie bark is gray and 

 slightly fissured, becoming thick and rough. Inner 

 bark is yellowish and fibrous. The stout twigs are 

 green and covei-ed with vei-y small brown .scales 

 when young, becoming gray. Petioles, leaf blades, 

 flower stalks, calyx, and fruits have scattered 

 minute inconspicuous brovni scales also. 



The alternate leaves have petioles 2— i inches 

 long. Leaf blades are slightly thickened and 

 leathery, lighter beneath, not toothed on edges. 



Flowers lateral on a twig, opening 1 at a time, 

 on stout stalks shorter than petioles, iA-2 inches 

 long. The cup-shaped gi-een calyx is about % 

 inch liigh and i^ inch across, remaining at base 

 of fruit, with 3-5 narrow green scales (bracts) 1/2 

 inch or more in length on outside, falling from the 

 bud. The broad, rounded, oblique petals 2 inches 

 or more in length are pale yellow, purplish at 

 base and turning to purple, with minute star- 

 sliaped hairs on outside. Stamens many, on a 

 column 1 inch long joined to petals at base. The 

 pistil has a 5-ce.lled ovary with slender style and 

 5 broader stigmas. 



The fruits, which remain attached for some time 

 but do not split open, contain several brown hairy 

 seeds about % inch long and 1/4 inch broad. Flow- 

 ering and fruiting from spring to fall. 



The sapwood is light brown, and the heartwood 

 chocolate brown. The wood is moderately soft, 

 medimnweight, durable, and takes a fine polish. 



It is classed as resistant to attack from dry-wood 

 termites. Used in boatbuilding and for fuel and 

 elsewhei'e in cabinetwork. 



Rope has been made from the tough fibrous 

 bark. It is rej^iorted that the flowers are eaten as 

 food and that the fruit is employed medicinally 

 for the treatment of skin eruptions. 



Planted as a street tree and ornamental and liv- 

 ing fencepost. However, this tree is a host of the 

 cotton stainer, a red insect which stains the fibers 

 of growing cotton, and is eradicated in West 

 Indian islands where cotton is an important crop. 

 For this reason, the elimination of this tree from 

 cotton areas of Puerto Rico has been advocated, 

 and further ])ropagation has been discouraged. 



Coastal woods and thickets along seashores and 

 borders of mangrove in Puerto Rico. Also in 

 Mona, Vieques, St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. 

 John. 



Range. — Widely distributed on tropical shores, 

 believed to be native in the Old World tropics and 

 planted and naturalized elsewhere. Southern 

 Florida including Florida Keys (planted also in 

 California), Bermuda, and throughout West 

 Indies from Bahamas and Cuba to Trinidad and 

 Tobago. Also occasionally cultivated in continen- 

 tal tropical America from southern Mexico (Yuca- 

 tan) and British Honduras to Brazil and Chile. 



Other common names. — majagiiilla, frescura, 

 jaqueca, palo de jaqueca, clamor, santa maria 

 (Puerto Rico) ; haiti-haiti (Virgin Islands) ; 

 alamo, alamo bianco (Dominican Republic) ; 

 majagua de Florida (Cuba) ; frescura (Nicara- 

 gua) ; demon, algodon de monte (Colombia) ; 

 cremon (Venezuela) ; macoi (Chile) ; portiatree, 

 seaside mahoe (United State) ; seaside mahoe 

 (English) ; cork-tree, Spanish-cork (Bahamas) ; 

 John- Bull-tree (Jamaica, Bequia) ; mahot bord- 

 de-mer ( St. Lucia) ; tuliptree, mahault de Londres 

 (Trinidad) ; Spanish-cork, cork-tree (British 

 Honduras) ; beach maho, maho (British Guiana) ; 

 gros mahaut (Haiti) ; catalpa (Guadeloupe) ; 

 otaheita, palu santu (Dutch West Indies) ; bosch- 

 katoen (Surinam). 



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