20 



The Paradise Tree 



A BEAUTIFUL TREE OF TROPICAL AMERICA VERY 

 SUITABLE FOR HAWAII. 



By Vaughan MacCaughey, College of Hazvaii. 



The Paradise Tree is one of the most beautiful trees of trop- 

 ical Florida, the West Indies, and tropical America. Many travel- 

 lers and tree lovers have awarded it the highest praise for love- 

 liness of form, foliage, flower, and fruit. It grows easily and 

 rapidly, reproduces freely, and has very few insect or fungous- 

 enemies. Its name is euphonious. The Paradise Tree should be- 

 come a member of that large and growing family of Hawaiian 

 trees that are native to other lands, but that have become so thor- 

 oughly established in their mid-Pacific island home that they are 

 now recognized as kauia-ainas. The mango, the banyan, the 

 monkey-pod, the kiawe — how empty the Honolulu lowlands 

 would become if these trees were to vanish ! The beautiful Para- 

 dise Tree should be introduced into the Paradise of the Pacific, 

 and add its charm and tropic color to the exotic vegetation ot 

 Hawaii. 



The tree {Simaruha glauca DC.) is a member of the Quassi'i 

 family (Simarubacese or Simaroubacese), which comprises abour 

 145 species in 28 genera. These are trees and shrubs — a fe\v 

 herbs — mostly tropical and generally with bitter latex. Many 

 are of medicinal value. The name Simaruba is the Guiana na- 

 tives' name for a certain species of that country. At present this 

 important family is wholly unrepresented in the Hawaiian flora. 

 There are no indigenous forms, and none of the foreign species 

 have been introduced- In the continental United States the Ai 

 lanthus or Tree of Heaven, native to northern China, is widely 

 planted and naturalized. The Paradise Tree would be a worthy 

 representative of the family in Hawaii. Inasmuch as the trees 

 are dioecious, and the fruit-clusters are very handsome, the female 

 trees are much more valuable, from the ornamental standpoint, 

 than are the male trees. 



The genus Siiuaniba Aublet comprises seven species, all native 

 of tropical America, and all characterized by bitter, resinous juice 

 and tonic properties. The Paradise Tree ranges from southern 

 Florida and the keys through the Bahama Islands, Cuba, Jamai- 

 ca, Central America, Guiana, and Brazil. It is called Bitter-wood 

 because of its taste. The Cuban name Palo bianco refers to the 

 silvery undersurfaces of the leaves. It is often confused with 

 6'. amara Aublet, which is the official source of Simaruba bark. 



The Paradise Tree has a beautiful form, and rises to heights 

 of 35-50 feet. Under favorable conditions the latter stature is 

 not uncommon. The crown is round-topped and symmetrical, 

 with a dense canopy of very dark green glossy leaves, the under 



