76 



Dlstributlcn, coarnon names and uses 



The giant milk-wood is known only frcni the vicinity of 

 Patd, on the '6an Bias Coast, v/here it is conspicuouiS for 

 its size, and not uncoriuncn along the foot of the hills. It 

 is genei'ally aalled olive , and the wood, v/hich is used 

 only as fuel, is white, easy to work and moderately strong, 

 The latex or milk is very resinous and does niot a^-'pear to 

 contain rubber. 



The Ja:naican Llilk-.vood 

 Sapiua jamaicense Swart^, Adnot. bot. ; 62. 1329 



Description of the tree 



A tree up to 25 m. high and often 1 m. in diameter at 

 the base, the trunk erect, covered with a rough, furrowed 

 and grayish bark, the crown irregular, elongate. Leaves 

 membranaceous, glabrous, the ^.etioles slender, 2.5 tc 5 

 cm. long, j^rtvided at the apex v^ith 2 sessile glands, the 

 blades ovate, rounded cuneate at the base, briefly and ob- 

 tusely acuminate, 6 to 12 cm. long, 3 to 5,5 cm. broad; 

 margin entire; veins numerous; stipules ovate, acute, 

 r'lcral spikes terminal, single or several clustered, at 

 times bearing only male flowers, other times androgynous, 

 the female flowers fev/ and basal, the male flowers nume- 

 rous and covering the upper part of the spike; floral 

 gjands elliptic; perianth of the female flowers 3-lobu- 

 late; ovary 3 or seldom 2-celled; male flowers 3 to 4- 

 clustered, the perianth £-lobulate, the stauens 2, Cap- 

 sule globose, about G mm. in diameter; seeds lenticulate, 

 slightly verruculose. 



Description of th e wood 

 Sapwood thick, nearly white; heartwood slightly darker. 



