240 VEGETATION 



Passing northward from the town along the coast and then turning to 

 the left and ascending the hill, we came to an old field covered with an 

 extremely dense growth of Leucoena glauca (L.) Benth. (Jumby bean) and 

 Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Stinking pea) in almost pure association. The 

 tops of the plants, which were about 7 feet and 6 inches high, formed an almost 

 level floor. On the top of the ridge beyond this field there is a rather high 

 coppice composed largely of different species from those so far mentioned 

 from this point. The most abundant constituents of the higher growth were 

 Lysiloma bahamensis Benth. (Wild tamarind), Rapania guyanensis Aubl. 

 (Beef -wood), Guaiacum sanctum L. (Lignum vitas), Krugiodendron ferreum 

 (Vahl.) Urban (Iron-wood), Erytliroxylon brevipes DC. (Sareto), Tetrazygia 

 bicolor (Mill.) Cogn. (Wild guava), Tecoma bahamensis Northrop, Ccesalpinia 

 vesicaria L. (Braziletto), Fag am ftava (Vahl.) Kr. & Urb. (Yellow-wood), 

 Reynosia septentrionalis Urban, Amyris elemifera L. (White torch), Gym- 

 nanthes lucida Sw. (Crab-wood), Maytenus buxifolia (Eich.) Griseb. (Spoon- 

 wood), Hypelate trifoliata Sw. (Bed-wood), Exostemma caribceum (Jacq.) E. & 

 S. (Prince-wood), Torrubia longifolia (Heimerl) Britton (Blolly), and Bur- 

 sera simaruba (L.) Sarg. (Guna-elemi). The height of these trees is about 15 

 to 20 feet. In nearly all cases the bark of the trunks was white from crus- 

 taceous lichens. In fact, it was hard to find a square inch of bark that was not 

 covered with these lichens. The trunk of the gum-elemi is an exception. 

 Its habit of defoliating its bark in thin, papery sheets prevents the lichens 

 from securing a foothold. As a consequence, its red trunks show in sharp 

 contrast among the white ones of its neighbors. The wild guava is peculiar 

 in having white bark that is natural and not due to a covering of lichens. 

 This is true also, by the way, of Jacquinia keyensis Mez (Joe-bush), and to a 

 less extent of Coccolobis laurifolia Jacq. (Pigeon plum). The undergrowth 

 of the above coppice consists principally of Fagara fagara (L.) Small (Wild 

 lime), Catesbece spinosa L., Fagara coriacea (A. Eich.) Kr. & Urb. (Doc- 

 tor's club), Bumelia microphylla Griseb., Bunchosia glendulosa Eich., Eritlialis 

 fruticosa L. (Black torch), Chiococca parvifolia Wullschl., Cordia bahamensis 

 Urban, Phyllanthus epiphyllanthus L. (Hard-head), and Croton longifolia. 

 The vines Triopteris rigida Sw., Smilax beyrichii Kunth, and Jacquemontia 

 jamaicensis (Jacq.) Hall were also abundant. 



It will be observed that the growth in this coppice differs from any that 

 have been before described. It possesses, on the one hand, the character of 

 the low xerophytic condition, and on the other, the peculiarities of what we 



