BIGNONIA FAMILY (BIGNONIACEAE) 



238. Roble amarillo, ginger-thomas 



The official flower of the United States Virgin 

 Ishmds, this oniamental shiiib or small tree is 

 characterized by: (1) many large, showy, tubular, 

 bell-shaped, 2-lobed, yellow flowers l^/^-S indies 

 long; (2) large, narrow, dark brown, cigarlike 

 pods 4-8 inches long and ^\^ inch in diameter; 

 and (3) opposite pinnate leaves 4-10 inches long 

 with 5-13 lance-shaped to elliptic saw-toothed leaf- 

 lets. 



Having a great geographical range, this species 

 is somewhat variable in shape of leaflets and oth- 

 er characters and has been divided into varieties. 

 It is evergreen, 10-25 feet high, and to 3 inches or 

 moi-e in trimk diameter. The light gray bark is 

 rough and much furrowed. Inner bark is brown, 

 fibrous, and bitter. Young twigs are green, turn- 

 ing brown. 



The short-stalked or stalkless leaflets are IV2- 

 4 inches long and ^-11/4 inches broad, long- 

 pointed at apex and short-pointed at base, thin, 

 usually hairless, and green on both surfaces. 



Several flowers are borne on short stalks in a 

 terminal cluster (raceme). Tiie calyx is I/4 inch 

 long, tubular and 5-toothed ; the bright yellow fun- 

 nel-shaped or trumpet-shaped corolla 11/2-^ 

 inches long and 11^4 inches across the 2 spreading 

 lobes; stamens 4, in 2 pairs of diiferent lengths, 

 inserted on the corolla ; and on a disk the pistil 

 with 2-celled ovary, long slender style, and 2-lobed 

 stigma. 



The pod (capsule) splits open lengthwise to re- 

 lease many vei-y thin light brown seeds, which are 

 nearly 1 inch long including the 2 whitish papery 

 wings. Flowering and fruiting nearly throughout 

 the year. 



Tlie sapwood is light brown and hard. The 

 wood is seldom available in size large enough for 

 use in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands but else- 

 where has been employed in cabinetmaking, wood 

 turning, and construction. 



Tecoma stans (L.) H. B. K. 



The principal local use is as an ornamental for 

 the showy flowers, such as along roadsides and 

 fences. The slightly fragrant flowers are a 

 source of honey. Flower buds will pop wlien 

 squeezed. Bark, leaves, and roots have been em- 

 ployed in home medicines. 



Planted and on open hillsides in the southern 

 foothills of Puerto Rico. Also in Vieques, St. 

 Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola. 



RANGE.--Widely distributed in tropical Amer- 

 ica, including varieties, and perhaps spread and 

 naturalized from cultivation. Throughout West 

 Indies from Baliamas and Cuba to Trinidad, and 

 cultivated in Dutch West Indies. Also Florida 

 (l^erhaps naturalized) and from southern Texas, 

 southern New Mexico, and southern Arizona 

 south through Mexico and Central America to Bo- 

 livia, northern Argentina, and Brazil. 



Other common names. — sauco amarillo, nii- 

 barba (Puerto Rico); yellow-elder, yellow-cedar 

 (Virgin Islands) ; sauco amarillo (Dominican Re- 

 public, Cuba) ; retama, tronadora, gloria (Mex- 

 ico) ; San Andres, tagualaiste, marchucha, tasto, 

 tache (El Salvador); sardinillo, San Andres 

 (Honduras); sardinillo, chilca, flor amarilla 

 (Nicaragua); candelillo, carboncillo (Costa 

 Rica) ; copete (Panama) ; fresno americano, roble 

 aniarillo, chirlobirlos (Colombia) ; fresnillo 

 (Venezuela) ; cholan, fresno (Ecuador) ; huaran- 

 hua (Peru); toco-toco (Bolivia); guaranguay 

 amarillo, guaran amarillo, guaranguay bianco, 

 guaranguanin (Argentina) ; yellow-trumpet, 

 Florida yellow-trumpet, yellow trumpet-flower, 

 yellow-elder (United State's) ; coribee (Antigua) ; 

 bois caraibe (Grenada) ; Christmas-hope (Trini- 

 dad) ; chevalier (Haiti) ; bois fleurs javmes 

 (Guadeloupe, St. Lucia) ; kelki heel, yellow- 

 blossom (Dutch AVest Indies). 



Botanical synonyms. — Stetwlohiwn stans (L.) 

 Seem., S. incisum Rose & Standi., Tecoma trono- 

 dora (Loes.) Johnst. 



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