319- SlDEROXYLON MASTICHODENDRON MASTIC. 33 



319. SlDEROXYLON MASTICHODENDRON JACQ. 



MASTIC. 



Ger., Masti.vbaum. Fr., Acomat (Mar.), Acomat franc (Guad.), 



Sp., Tocuma amarillo, Ausubo (P. R.). 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS : Leaves oblong, 3 to 5 in. long, mostly acute to obtuse 

 at apex, cuneate at base, with cartilaginous entire more or less wavy margin, 

 lustrous bright green with depressed midrib above, paler and very prominent 

 midrib beneath, rather remote and obscure arcuate veins and long slender petioles 

 I to i }/2 in. long. F loiters, appearing at almost any season, from the axils of the 

 leaves of the season, or from the nodes of the preceding season; calyx yellow- 

 green, puberulous outside; corolla light yellow with lobes somewhat longer than 

 those of the calyx, staminodia short, with subulate tips; pistil with glabrous 

 ovary. Fruit about i in. long, with rather tough yellow skin and of a pleasant 

 flavor, but leaving in the mouth a rather peppery after-tate; seed about l / 2 in. 

 long, flattened obovoid. 



One of the large trees of southern Florida, attaining a height of 75 

 or 80 ft. (25m.) or more, with stout spreading and ascending branches 

 and straight trunk sometimes 3 or 4 ft. (1.25111.) in diameter. The 

 bark cf trunk is about y$ in. in thickness, of a brownish gray color and 

 exfoliating in thinnish irregular scales. 



HABITAT. A common and important tree of the hammocks of 

 peninsular Florida south of Cape Canavaral and Charlotte Harbor, 

 the southern Keys, the Bahamas and many of the West Indian islands. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood very heavy, hard, strong, close- 

 grained, with few small open ducts and many fine medullary rays, 

 durable and of a brownish orange color, with lighter ample sap-wood. 

 Specific Gravity, 1.0109; Percentage of Ash, 5.14; Relative Approxi- 

 mate Fuel Value, 0.9589 ; Coefficient of Elasticity, 109948 ; Modulus of 

 Rupture, 970; Resistance to Longitudinal Pressure, 650; Resistance to 

 Indentation, 355; Weight of a Cubic Foot in Pounds, 63.00. 



USES. The wood is largely used for boat-building, general con- 

 struction purpose's and for furniture. It is considered in Porto Rico 

 as one of their most valuable timbers and sells at a high price for sills, 

 rafters, etc., in house-building. 



The fruit is juicy, edible and very pleasing in flavor, in the tastes of 

 most people, but it leaves for a time a peppery after-flavor and a slowly 

 soluble gummy coating of the tongue and roof of the mouth, qualities 

 which prompt one, after the first experience, to partake of it not too 

 freely. 



