125 



the PaGiiic . It is 



Africa, It 



tree and ziaragoza 



known also from the ,/estern ccast ci 



in Panama, ^Idertree, iutton 



is called ^aragosa 



m 



fiiangrove in the British V/est Indies, :.:an- 

 droit and m . noir , in Martinique an? 

 " angle lotcncillo in Ve':esuela, 

 The v/ood keeps a lacs t indefinitely 



glier flibiistier , 



Guadeloupe, jotonclllo and 



and .Tiangue in 3ra.':il. 



and is highly prized as timber, being used for carpenter 



work, iJOles, rafters, beat curves and cabinet work. [The 



leaves ^nd bark are used for tanning or dyeing purposes. 



Melastomaoeae 

 T he silvery Lliconia 



Miconia argentea (Sv/.) D.O. Prodr, 3: 132. 1828 



Descrix^tion of the tree 



A shrub or a middle sized or large tree, u^) to 15 ii. high 

 and 30 cm. in diameter at the base, the truni: sometimes 

 stunted and crooked, or a straight, undivided bole 6 to 3 me- 

 ters long, the bark grayish white, slightly rimose, the 

 crown irregular or elongate, broader at the top; young branch- 

 lets anguloua, more or less flattened, covered as aire tine 

 leaves and rachis of the inflorescences v/ith a silvery indu- 

 ;nen"Cum. (Leaves subcoriaceous, 5-nerved , the petioles cana- 

 liculate,' slender, 2 to 8 cm. long, the blades ovate, mi. re or 

 less rounded at the base, briefly acuminate, 10 to E6 cm. 

 long, 6 to 15 cm. bread, glabrous and dark green above, sil- 

 very -.vhite beneath, the margins remctely sinuate-toothod. 

 Panicles terminal, raraulosd, 6 to 20 cm. Icng. Flowers nu- 

 merous, pedicellate, pentamerciis; calyx 10-costate, 1,5 to 2 

 mm. long; petals v/hite, 2 mm. long; stamens 10; ovary globose; 

 style 4 to 5 mm. long, ending in a subgultate stigma. Berry 

 about 2 m-u. in diameter.'^ 



