66 BULLETIN 354^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUBE. 



DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES. 



I. Palm.^. 



le Inodes causiarum Cook. Yaray; Porto Rican hat palm (Br. W. I.) . 

 Inodes glauca Urb. Damm. Palma de sombrero; Hat palm (Br. W. I.). 



Two palms more or less common on the western end of the island, usually along 

 the shore on the coral sand. The leaves are held in high repute in Porto Pdco for 

 making hats, immense quantities of which are manufactured every year. The center 

 of this industry is at Joyua, just south of Mayaguez. 



2. Oreodoxa caribaea (Spreng.) Damm. & Urb. {=Roystonca borinquena Cook?=0. 



regia Bello?). Palma real, Yagua, Palma de yaguas, Palma costa, Palma 

 de grana; Palmacte, Pumu (Sp. W. I.); Royal palm (Br. W. I.). 



Tree from 40 to more than 80 feet high and sometimes 2 feet in diameter, found 

 throughout the island, the West Indies, and southern Florida. One of the most con- 

 spicuous objects in the Porto Rican landscape. The most useful part is the sheathing 

 base of the leaf called "yagua," which is used for roofing and siding of huts, and for a 

 great variety of other piu'poses, especially by the poorer classes. The outer portion 

 of the trunk is used for boards, posts, poles, piles, etc. The leaves are used for thatch- 

 ing roofs. The royal palm has more economic uses than any other tree in the West 

 Indies. 



3. Acrista monticola Cook. Palma de la Sierra, Palma de Sierra, Yagua del Monte. 

 Tree from 30 to 80 feet high and from 12 to 18 inches in diameter, closely allied 



to the royal palm {Oreodoxa caribaea). The Porto Rican species is confined chiefly 

 to the mountain regions. The outer portion of the trunk, spUt into boards, is used 

 for making huts, and the leaves for thatching roofs. 



4. Cocos nucifera L. Palma de coco, Coco, Cocotero (Sp. W. I.); Coconut, Porcupine 



wood J Coco palm (Br. W. I.). 



Tree usually from 40 to 50 feet tall and from 12 to 15 inches in diameter, found 

 everywhere along the coast in Porto Rico, the West Indies, and the Tropics generally. 

 Extensively planted and of great economic importance. The "milk" of green fruit 

 is in great demand locally. It is drunk directly from the nut, which is then thrown 

 away. The ripe fruit is exported in large quantities. The wood is used for walking 

 sticks, umbrella handles, posts, piles, and for other purposes requiring strong and 

 durable material. The fiber of the husk, known as coir, and the dried meat of the 

 nut, known as copra, both important articles of export from the East Indies to 

 Europe, have no commercial value in Porto Roco. ' 



The wood is somewhat similar to that of the royal palm, very hard, heavy (about 

 50 pounds per cubic foot), strong, tough, and very durable in contact with the soil. 



II. JUGLANDACE.^;. 



5. Juglans jamaicensis C. DC. Nogal, Palo de nuez; Jamaican or West Indian 



walnut (Br. W. I.). 



Tree from 40 to 80 feet high and from 18 to 24 inches in diameter, occiu-ring only 

 at high altitudes on the island. The wood is similar to that of our native Butternut 

 {Juglans cinerea L.) but is seldom used except occasionally for furniture. 



III. TjLMACEiE. 



6. Trema micranthum (L.) Bl. Palo de cabra, Guacimilla, Guazymillo; Ixpepe 



(Mexico). 



Tree from 15 to 60 feet high, occurring here and there tln-oughout the island. Wood 

 little used. Wood light brown, moderately fine grained, capable of a good polish, 

 but rather soft, light, and weak. Pores small, isolated, or in groups of two to five or 

 more, and evenly distributed. Pith rays minute, inconspicuous. 



