FLORA OF ST. CROIX AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. 41 



180. S. purpurea, L. (v. Jamaica Plum). 



Fl. Feb.-March, precocious. Naturalized in gardens and wooded val- 

 leys. — All islands. 

 ISl. Rlius antillana, Egg. (u. sp.). 



Sect. Sumach. Leaves impari-iiinnate ; leaflets 4-5-jugal, petiolulate, 

 lanceolate, acuminate, obtuse at the base, entire, glabrous, chartaceous ; 

 veins prominulous beneath. Cyme ramose; branclilets bracteolate, 

 equalling the leaves. Flower pedicellate, small, green, 5-raerous, mostly 

 ^, the rest hermaphrodite. Calyx and petals persistent in the fertile 

 flower. Stamens erect, a little longer than the petals, inserted into a 

 fleshy central disc ; filaments villous at the base. Ovary inserted upon 

 a short fleshy gynophore. Drupe globose, glabrous, 1-seeded by abor- 

 tion. A low tree. Approaching R. metoplum, L. Fl. Jan. In forests, 

 rare.— St. Thomas (Signal Hill, 1400') ; St. Jan (Hb. Havn. as Xanthox- 

 ylum). (St. Croix, Stony-ground?) * 



182. Comocladia ilicifolia, Sw. (v. Prapra). 



Fl. March-May. Eoot containing a lasting red dye. Common on lime- 

 stone. — All islands. 



183. Mangifera iudica, L. (v. Maugo-tree). 



Fl. Feb.-April. Fruit edible. Introduced towards the close of last 

 century, and now cultivated and naturalized everywhere. — All islands. 

 134. Aiiacardium cccidentale, L. (v. Casliew, Cherry). 



Fl. Dec.-Aijril. Pedicel becoming fleshy, and containing in abund- 

 ance a shghtly astringent juice. Seeds used as almonds. Common in 

 forests and along roads. — All islands. 



185. Crotalaria verrucosa, L, 



Fl. all the year round. iSTaturalized along roads. Very common. — All 

 islands. 



186. C. retusa, L. 



Fl. all the year round. Common along roads and in waste places. 

 Naturalized. — All islands. 



187. C. latifolia, L. 



Fl. Nov. Leaves golden sericeous beneath. Corolla greenish. Not 

 uncommon in thickets. — All islands. 



188. C. incana, L. (v. Rattle-busli). 



Fl. all the year round. Stipules deciduous, the scar exuding nectar 

 afterwards, as well as the base of the bracteoles. Common along roads 

 and near dwellings. — St. Croix; St. Thomas. 



