FLACOURTIA FAMILY (FLACOURTIACEAE) 



171. Palo bianco, wild-coifee 



This small tree is characterized by: (1) thin 

 elliptic or obovate, light ji^reen leaves, abruptly 

 short-pointed or rounded at apex, with toothed 

 edges and sunken curved lateral veins, arranged 

 in 2 rows on the twigs: (2) whitish or yellowish 

 spreading flowers %6 inch across, several in clus- 

 ters at leaf bases; and (3) the elliptic fruits nearly 

 1/2 inch long, splitting into 3 parts. 



Evergreen shrub or small tree 15 feet high (re- 

 ported to 30 feet) and 2 inches or more in trunk 

 diameter, with spreading crown. The smooth thin 

 bark is light gray or whitish, the inner bark light 

 brown and slightly bitter. The twigs are green 

 and finely hairy when young, becoming gray. 



The alternate leaves are borne in 2 rows on short 

 gi-een petioles i/i inch long. Leaf blades are 2i/^- 

 5V^ inches long and li^-2i/^ inches broad, often 

 widest beyond middle, short- or long-pointed at 

 base, hairless except on veins, the lower surface 

 pale green and with raised vems. Numerous mi- 

 nute gland dots and a few lines can be seen when a 

 leaf is viewed with a hand lens against the light. 



Lateral flower clustere (umbels) are composed 

 of several flowers on slender hairy stalks Vs-Vi 

 inch long, which are jointed below middle. The 

 whitish or yellowish calyx %6 inch long consists 

 of 5 widely spreading, finely hairy lobes ; there are 

 usually 8 stamens inserted near base of calyx and 

 alternating with smaller hairy sterile stamens 



Casearia guianensis (Aubl.) Urban 



(staminodes) ; and pistil composed of 1-celled 

 ovary, style, and rounded stigma. 



The elliptic seed capsules, commonly borne 

 singly, are % inch or more in length, greenish, 

 slightly fleshy. Flowering and fruiting probably 

 through the year. 



The sapwood is light brown, hard, and heavy 

 (specific gravity 0.7). Used only for fuel. 



Scattered in moist coastal and lower mountain 

 regions in Puerto Rico. Also Vieques, St. Croix, 

 St. Thomas, and St. John. 



Public forests. — Cambalache, Luquillo, Rio 

 Aba jo. 



Range. — Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto 

 Rico and Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles from 

 Antigua to Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, and 

 Margarita. Also in southern Mexico, Central 

 America, and northern South America in Vene- 

 zuela and Guianas. 



OxirER COMMON NAMES. — cafcillo, cafetillo 

 (Puerto Rico) ; cafe cimarron, cafe de gallina, palo 

 bianco (Dominican Republic) ; jia amarilla 

 (Cuba) ; limoncillo (El Salvador) ; palo de la 

 cruz (Panama) ; palo bianco (Colombia) ; punta 

 de ral, palo amarillo, huesito, limoncillo (Vene- 

 zuela) ; pipewood (Trinidad) ; kibihidan (British 

 Guiana). 



Botanical synonym. — Casearia ramifiora Vahl. 



368 



