SWEETLEAF FAMILY (SYMPLOCACEAE) 

 215. Aceituna blanca, candlewood Symplocos martinicensis Jacq. 



A small to medium-sized tree characterized by: 

 (1) shiny elliptic leaves 21/2-5 inches long and 

 1-21/2 inches broad, abruptly short-pointed at apex 

 and base, and with scattered inconspicuous wavy 

 teeth aloufr edges; (2) small 5-lobecl white flowei-s 

 nearly 14 inch long and broad, a few to several to- 

 getlier in clusters at bases of leaves; and (3) the 

 oblong bluish-black fleshy fruits %-% inch long 

 and % inch in diameter, with 5-lobed calyx re- 

 maining at apex. 



An evergreen tree 20-30 feet high and to 6 inches 

 or more in trunk diameter, with spreading crown. 

 Bark is smoothish or with small fissures, light gray 

 to brown. Inner bark is pinkish and bitter. 

 Twigs green and sometimes finely hairy when 

 young, becoming light gray or brown. 



The leaves are alternate on petioles 1/4-^/4 i'l^^li 

 long. Blades are thin or slightly thickened, often 

 turned upward at midrib, hairless, shiny green on 

 upper surface and slightly paler beneath. 



The fragrant flowers are attached a few to sev- 

 eral together in short-stalked clusters (cymes). 

 The green tubular base (hypanthium) is about i/s 

 inch long, with 5 rounded calyx lobes minutely 

 hairy on edges; the white corolla %-i/^ inch long 

 and broad with a wide tube and 5 oblong spreading 

 lobes ; there are many stamens with flattened white 

 filaments united to corolla tube and projecting Vs 

 inch beyond; and pistil with inferior 3-5-celled 

 ovary, slender style % inch long, and enlarged 

 stigma. 



Fruits are mostly single, green when immature, 

 and contain usually 1 seed % inch long. In flower 

 from late spring to fall and in fruit from summer 

 to fall. 



The wood with yellowish-brown sapwood is 

 moderately heavy (specific gravity 0.8). Little 

 used in Puerto Rico except for fuel, probably be- 

 cause of scarcity and generally small dimensions. 

 Elsewhere a recorded use is for vehicles. 



Widely distributed in moist to moderately dry 

 forests at low to high elevations in Puerto Rico. 

 Also in St. Thomas and Tortola. 



Public forests. — Guajataca, Luquillo, Maricao. 



Range. — Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, 

 Tortola, nearly throughout Lesser Antilles from 

 Saba to Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago. Also 

 Central America in British Honduras, Guatemala, 

 and Honduras, and in British Guiana and French 

 Guiana. 



Other common names. — aceituna cimarrona 

 (Puerto Rico) ; Martinique sweetleaf (English) ; 

 white-box (St. Kitts) ; whitewood (Nevis) ; white- 

 beech (Montserrat) ; caca rat, bois bleu (St. 

 Lucia) ; graines bleues (Dominica, Martinique, 

 Guadeloupe) ; bois blanc (Grenada) ; blueberry 

 (Saba, St. Eustatius). 



Three related species of smrfll trees are foimd 

 only in Puerto Rico. One called palo de cabra 

 {Symplocos polyantha Krug & LTrban), rare and 

 collected but once in Luquillo Mountains, has 

 young twigs short hairy, elliptic leaves 21/0— 114 

 inches long, hairless, and larger flower clusters 

 about 2 inches long bearing many flowers with 

 corolla 14 inch long. 



The other 2 species have twigs and petioles with 

 long, stitF hairs. Nispero cimarron {Symplocos 

 Inmita Krug & Urban), confined to mountain for- 

 ests of the Central Cordillera, has the young twigs 

 and petioles densely covered with long stiff reddish 

 hairs ; elliptic leaves 21-2-2% inches long, hairy be- 

 neath, with petioles Vg-i/i inch long; and flowers 

 with corolla about %(j inch long. 



The closely related species called aceitimillo 

 {Symplocos micmnfha Krug & Urban), known 

 only from mountain forests of eastern and central 

 Puerto Rico, differs in the young twigs and petioles 

 less liairy, the longer petioles i/4— % incb long, and 

 the slightly smaller flowers with corolla 14 inch 

 long. 



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