TREES OF POETO EICO. 93 



Wood of these two species is dark brown, fine and straight grained, taking a splendid 

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

 in contact with soil and water. Pores very small, and ar-ranged in more or less oblique 

 radial rows which are visible under the hand lens. 



XLVII. Ebenace^. 



146. Maha sintenisii Krug. et Urb. Guayabota-nispero, Tabeiba. 



Tree from 25 to 30 feet high, of uncommon occurrence, reported from only two 

 localities on the island. 



Wood very light brown, very fine and straight grained, taking a very good polish, 

 very hard, heavy, strong, tough, and durable. Pores very minute, numerous, and 

 arranged in indistinct radial rows. Very fine tangential lines of soft tissue are visible 

 under a strong hand lens. 



*147. Diospyros ebenaster Retz. Guayabota; Zapote negro 6 prieto (Mexico). 



Tree about 30 feet high, of infrequent occurrence in the mountains. It is native 

 of the West Indies, Mexico, and Malay Islands. It has a black bark and heartwood. 

 This tree attains much larger size in Mexico than it does in Porto Rico, where it is 

 used only for fuel and charcoal. 



XLVIII. SYMPLOCACEyE. 



148. Symplocos. 



Genus represented in Porto Rico by five tree species, namely, Symplocos lanata 

 Krug et Urb. (Palo de nispero cimarron), from 24 to 30 feet high, from Adjuntas and 

 Pefiuelas; Symplocos micrantha Krug et Urb. (Palo de cabra), from 20 to 50 feet 

 high, from the Sierra de Luquillo and Cordillera Central; Symplocos martinicensis 

 Jacq. (Aceituna, Aceituna blanca, Aceituna cimarrona), from 10 to 30 feet high, 

 from Bayamon and Anasco; Symplocos polyantha Krug et Urb. (Palo de cabra), from 

 the Sierra de Luquillo; and Symplocos latifolia Krug et Urb. (Aceituna), from 25 

 to 45 feet high, from Sierra de Cayey and Cordillera Central. Except for the third 

 of these, which occurs generally throughout the West Indies, all are local species. 

 Their woods, which are alike, are apparently very little used. 



The wood of S. martinicensis is white, hard, moderately heavy, and strong. Pores 

 small, numerous, isolated or in groups of two to four, evenly distributed. Pith rays 

 narrow, inconspicuous. 



XLIX. Styracace^. 



149. Styrax portoricensis Krug and Urb . 



Tree apparently little known even locally. Reported as being from 30 to 60 feet 

 high and occurring only in the mountain forests of the eastern part of the island. 



L. Oleace^. 



150. Linodera domingensis (Lam.) Knobl. (= Mayepea domingensis Krug and Urb.). 



Hueso bianco, Palo de hueso, Huesillo, Palo bianco. 



Tree from 30 to 45 feet high, quite generally distributed throughout the northern 

 part of the island. Common also to the other islands of the Greater Antilles. 



Wood light colored, moderately fine grained, hard, and moderately heavy. Pores 

 small, isolated or in groupe of from two or three, evenly distributed. Pith rays nar- 

 row, inconspicuous. 



LI. Apocynace^. 



151. Plumiera alba L. Aleli, Aleli cimarron, Tabeiba; Frangipanic blanc, Bois de 



lait (Fr. W. I.). 



Tree from 20 to 30 feet high and from 6 to 10 inches in diameter, occurring along the 

 coast, very common throughout tropical America. The wood is used for carpentry 

 work, and as a substitute for true sandalwood {Santalum album L.). 



Wood yellowish-white or light grayish-yellow, marked vdth numerous irregular 

 undulating lines, giving the wood a very pleasing appearance. It is very compact 

 and fine grained, taking a very good polish, hard, heavy, strong, and tough. 



