THE PLANT WOELD 165 



large, round, sliiniiig leaves and narrow bunches of black grapes; ber- 

 ries rather sour to the human palate, but greedily devoured by birds; 

 wood reddish-brown, hard, compact and durable. 



BougainvUlea spectahilis, a large nyctagineous shnib or short-stem- 

 med tree, one of the commonest and brightest ornaments of gardens, 

 with spreading, long, reclining branches forming an arbor, covered nearly 

 all the year with a profusion of bell-shaped, purplish flowers, the ap- 

 parent corolla being in reality formed of three large bracts enclosing 

 three snialler inconspicuous flowers, 



Lagersfroemia Indica, crape-myrtle, is not rare in gardens, but I 

 have never seen it with the profuse inflorescence which makes it so 

 attractive in the Southern States. 



Pachira aquatica, Carolina, large native tree, of peculiar beauty 

 when putting forth its large conspicuous balls of purplish stamens in 

 the early summer on limbs still bare of foliage. P. insignis, with brick- 

 red flowers appearing with the leaves, is occasionally cultivated. 



Adansonia digitata, baobab, an African giant sometimes seen in 

 Cuba; a specimen in Guanabacoa is seven or eight feet in diameter, and 

 very attractive when in blossom, with cux)-shaped flowers hanging from 

 long pedicels; the hairy fruit is filled with farinaceous pulp which 

 makes an agreeable, refreshing drink. 



Afelia Azederach, China tree, seldom more than a shnib or small 

 tree, and not as common as it ought to be. 



Castilloa elastica, American rubber tree, introduced from Mexico, 

 thriving only near water. 



Teconia penfaphylla, good sized native tree with conspicuous pink 

 flowers and digitate leaves. T. serratifolia, with bright yellow flowers 

 has been sparingly introduced. The shrubby T. stans is very common 

 all over the island, in dry, rocky places, much as in western Texas. 



Thevetia neriifolia, cabalonga, handsome shrub or small tree, very 

 common in cultivation, with linear leaves and saffron colored corolla. 

 Its relatives, the oleander and jessamines are, of course, frequently 

 seen. 



Parkinsonia acideata, Jerusalem thorn, so common in the South- 

 western States is rare here, although of great merit for ornament. 



Moringa pterygos^jei'ma, horse-radish tree, an elegant little tree nat- 

 uralized from the Old World, with dissected foliage, white or lilac flow- 

 ers, and winged seeds in long, ridged pods. A good oil may be ob- 

 tained from the seeds, and the roots are said to be an excellent substi- 

 tute for horse-radish. 



Clusia rosea, a handsome native tree, the foliage and flowers suggest- 

 ing those of Magnolia. 



Eugenia Jamhos, pomarosa or rose apple, introduced from the Old 



