MANGROVE FAMILY (RHIZOPHORACEAE) 



179. Mangle Colorado, mangrove 



This common species on protected muddy sea- 

 shores is easily recognized by the mass of peculiar, 

 branching, curved and arching stilt roots, enabling 

 the trees to spread in shallow salt and brackish 

 water and form dense, impenetrable thickets at 

 tide level. Other distinguishing characteristics 

 are : ( 1 ) the conspicuous, naiTow, long, pointed, 

 green terminal buds; (2) the opposite, elliptic, 

 blunt-pointed, shiny green leaves, slightly leathery 

 and fleshy, and yellow green beneath ; (3) the pale 

 yellow flowers about % inch across with 4 widely 

 spreading narrow and leathery sepals, usually 2-4 

 in stalkecl lateral clusters; and (4) the unique dark 

 brown fruits about 11/4 inches long and 1/2 }^p^ in 

 diameter, remaining attached, each containing a 

 growing seedling with long narrow podlike first 

 root U]) to 1 foot long and hanging down. 



Commonly a small tree 15-25 feet or more in 

 height, evergreen, with an erect trunk 8 inches or 

 more in diameter. Formerly probably much 

 larger. The bark is gray or gray brown, smooth, 

 and thin on small trunks, becoming furrowed and 

 thick on larger ones. Inner bark is reddish or 

 pinkish, with slightly bitter and salty taste. The 

 stout twigs are gray or brown, bearing several 

 crowded leaves near apex. The bud is 1-2 inches 

 long, covered with 2 green scales (stipules) around 

 the pair of developing leaves and which make a 

 ring scar on the twig upon shedding. 



The slightly flattened petioles are 1/2-% inch 

 long. Leaf blades are 21/2-4 inches long and 1- 

 21/2 inches broad, blunt-pointed at apex and short- 

 pointed at base, the edges slightly rolled under. 



Flowers are 2-4 together on a forked green 

 stalk altogether 11/2-8 inches long, slightly fra- 

 grant. The bell-shaped pale yellow base (hy- 

 panthiura) less than i/4 inch long bears 4 widely 

 spreading narrow pale yellow sepals almost y^ 

 inch long, leathery and persistent; there are 4 

 narrow petals % inch long, curved downward, 

 whitish but turning brown, white woolly or cot- 

 tony on inner side; 8 stamens; and the pistil con- 

 sists of a 2-celled ovary, mostly inferior but coni- 

 cal at apex, with 2 ovules in each cell, slender style, 

 and 2-lobecl stigma. 



The single seed germinates inside the conical 

 fruit, forming a long narrow first root (radicle) 

 green except for the brown enlarged and pointed 

 end up to i/o inch in diameter. When about 1 

 foot long, the heavy seedling falls and is usually 

 carried by water before becoming fi.rnily rooted. 

 Flowering and fruiting through the year. 



The sapwood is light brown, the heartwood 

 reddish brown or dark brown. The wood is hard, 



Rhizophora mangle L. 



very heavy (specific gravity 0.9-1.2), durable in 

 the soil but susceptible to attack by dry-wood 

 termites. 



Used as roundwood, for posts and poles and 

 excellent for fuel and charcoal. Elsewhere the 

 wood in larger sizes has been employed also for 

 marine piling and wharves, shipbuilding, and 

 in cabinetwork. The bark is important commer- 

 cially in tanning leather, and the leaves are rich 

 in tannin also. A dye and medicines have been 

 obtained from the bark. Fishermen in Puerto 

 Rico preserve their lines with an extract from the 

 roots. 



Mangrove forests on depositing shores aid in 

 extending the shore line, holding the black mud 

 in place and gradually advancing on the side to- 

 ward the ocean. This species with its stilt roots 

 growing in shallow water extends farther sea- 

 ward than the 3 other species of mangroves. 



Common to abundant in mangrove swamp for- 

 ests over large flat areas of silty or muddy shores 

 in salt and brackish water around Puerto Rico. 

 Forming pure stands on the sea side of such for- 

 ests and mixed with other mangrove species far- 

 ther inland. Also in Mona Vieques, St. Croix, 

 St Thomas, St. John, Tortola, and Anegada. 



Public forests. — Aguirre, Boqueron, Ceiba, 

 Guanica, San Juan. 



Range. — Shores of central and southern Florida 

 including Florida Keys, Bermuda, and through- 

 out West Indies (excep*^ Dominica) to Trinidad 

 and Tobago and Dutch West Indies. Also on both 

 coasts of continental tropical America from cen- 

 tral Mexico south to Ecuador and northwestern 

 Peru and to Brazil. Also in Galapagos Islands, 

 Melanesia, and Polynesia. 



Other common names. — mangle, mangle zapa- 

 tero, mangle de chifle (Puerto Rico) ; mangle 

 (Virgin Islands) ; mangle, mangle Colorado 

 (Spanish) ; mangle gateador, mangle caballero 

 (Costa Rica) ; mangle salado (Panama) ; mangle 

 rojo (Venezuela) ; mangle injerto (Ecuador) ; 

 mangrove, red mangrove (United States, Eng- 

 lish) ; black mangrove (British Guiana) ; man- 

 glier, manglier rouge (Haiti) ; paletuvier rouge 

 (French, commerce) ; manglier rouge, mangle 

 rouge, mangle noir, manglier chandelle (Guade- 

 loupe) ; mangel tan (Dutch West Indies) ; man- 

 gro (Surinam) ; mangue sapateiro, mangue ver- 

 melho (Brazil). 



Botanical synonyms. — Rhizophora mangle 

 var. samoensis Hochr., R. sa7noensis (Hochr.) 

 Salvoza. 



384 



