TREES OF PORTO RICO. 73 



Wood takes a good polish and is hard, heavy, strong, and durable. Pores moder- 

 ately large, solitary, and sui'rounded by abundant wood parenchyma, which occa- 

 sionally forms tangential lines. Pith rays very numerous and inconspicuous. 



*43. Piptadenia-peregrina (L.)Benth.. Cojobana, Cojoba, Cojobillo, Cojobo. 



Tree about 60 feet in height and about a foot in diameter, quite generally distributed 

 on the island. In central and South America it grows to be a very large tree, yielding 

 valuable timber known as "yoke," but in Porto Rico no uses have been recorded 

 except for fuel and charcoal. 



Wood dark reddish-brown, close-grained, hard, heavy, strong, tough, and very 

 durable. 



44. Stahlia monosperma {Tul.)^!]:). Cobana negra, Cobana, Cobano, Polisandro. 



Tree from 20 to 30 feet high and about- a foot in diameter, found chiefly along the 

 coast and watercourses. The wood is much used for making furniture, also for rail- 

 road ties for the cane roads. Wood is black, hard, heavy, strong, and tough. 



*45. Eymenssa courbaril L. Algarrobo, Courbaril, Quapinole jutahy, Jatoba; Locust 

 tree (Br. W. I.). 



Tree from 30 to 90 feet high, with a diameter of from 4 to 6 feet, well distributed 

 throughout the island. The wood is used largely for the cogwheels of sugar mills, 

 for wagon wheels, in carpentry, and especially for cabinet work and fine furniture. 

 A resin, known as American copal, resina copal, and courbaril obtained from this tree 

 is used as a medicament and for ornaments. The fruit is sometimes used as food. 



Wood, red with light and dark streaks; sapwood lighter, beautiful, somewhat 

 resembling mahogany, very fine grained, capable of a high polish, hard, heavy (about 

 64 pounds per cubic foot), tough, durable (except when placed underground), and 

 seasons well. Pores moderately small, isolated or in groups of two to four, evenly 

 distributed, surrounded by wood parenchyma, which often connects them tangen- 

 tially. Annual rings of growth clearly visible. Pith rays small, scarcely visible 

 to the unaided eye on a smooth transverse surface. 



*46. Tamarindus indica L. Tamaruido; Tamarind (Br. W. I. ). 



Tree from 20 to 60 feet high, very common throughout the island, and widely 

 cultivated in the Tropics for the acid pulp of its fruit. It is a beautiful ornamental 

 tree, well adapted for roadside planting. Its leaves, bark, seeds, and flowers all 

 have medicinal and other useful properties. Probably native to tropical Africa. 

 The wood is liighly esteemed for the handles of tools, as axes and hoes, is sometimes 

 used for building purposes, and is said to furnish excellent charcoal for the manu- 

 facture of gunpowder. 



Wood light yellow, fine and cross grained, hard, heavy (about 59 pounds per cubic 

 foot), tough, elastic, and very durable. Pores moderately small, isolated or in groups 

 of two or three, evenly distributed, often connected by conspicuous tangential lines 

 of wood parenchyma. Pith rays minute, very inconspicuous. 



47. Bauhinia happleri Sagot. Flamboyan bianco, Seplina, Varietal. 



Tree from 30 to 50 feet high, introduced from Asia. Grows spontaneously in many 

 parts of the island. Wood used for fuel and sometimes for making small articles of 

 furniture. Wood brownish in color and very handsome, fine grained, and takes a 

 beautiful polish. 



*48. Cassia fistula Tj. Cafiiafistula. 



Cultivated tree from 20 to 60 feet high and about a foot in diameter, a native of 

 tropical Asia, and very common over the entire island. Wood is used for fuel, the 

 bark for tanning, and the pulp of the pods medicinally. Wood of a reddish color, 

 hard, heavy (about 60 pounds per cubic foot), strong, tough and durable. 



*49. Cassia grandis L. Canafistula cimarrona. 



_ Cultivated tree from 40 to 60 feet high and from 1 foot to 1^ feet in diameter, occur- 

 ring mostly in the southwestern part of the island, found to some extent in a wild 



