127 



be extended, indicates that this snail tree is a well known 

 one among the natives and we find indeed that it is used 

 everywhere, when near at hand, in the construction of their 

 houses. '2he wood, wfeich is acderately hard and easy to work, 

 is said to be durable when not ex^josed tc an excess of humi-' 

 dity. 



Darien Lliconia-Tree 



Lliconia ciarienensis Pittier. Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. 18:£48. 



1917. 



Desorijjtion of the tree 



UiJ to 20 meters highCand 40 cm. in diameter, tiie trunk 

 straight, covered with a smooth grayish bark, the limbs as- 

 cending and forming an elongate crovm; young branchlets very 

 short, obscurely tetragonous, s^^arsely i^uberulous. Leaves 

 opjjosite, entire, membranous, the jpetioles 0.5 to 1 cm. 

 long, puberulous, the blades elliptic-lanceolate, 3-nerved, 

 obtuse-acuminate, 8 to 24 cm. long, 2 to 5 cm. bread, dark 

 green above, paler beneath. Pannicles terminal, about 10 

 cm. long, ovoid or pyramidal, the rachis glabrescent. ^'lowers 

 pentamerous, clustered; pedicels 1 to 1.5 mm. long; calyx 

 cami^anulate, 5-toothed, 1.5 mm. long, glabrous; petals oblique, 

 obovate, 2,5 mm. long, white; stamens 10, about 5 mm. long, 

 pubescent, the filament slender, the anthers gibbose and bi- 

 auriculate at the base and opening oy a terminal pore; ovary 

 globose; style 4.5 ram. long, pubescent, stigma capitellate. 

 Jerries small, bluish black.] 



Descr i ption of the v/ood 



Sapwood scarcely to be distinguished from heartwood. 

 .Vood ranges from light brown to dark brown, hard, heavy, 

 rather ©ross and fine grained, difficult to work, taking a 

 fine polish, and durable In contact with the soil. Annual 



