WEST INDIAN BOXWOOD 



form a pretty silver-grain : readily visible, dull. Rings, doubt- 

 ful but the dusky pigment-zones are prominent. 



Tangential Section. As the Radial, but the rays are only 

 just visible to good sight when the wood is moistened : about 

 i mm. high. 



Type specimen sent me by Messrs. Elder, Dempster & Co., 

 authenticated by Sir Thomas Hughes. 



I have followed Wiesner in the nomenclature which is very 

 confusing. Miers describes the wood under the name of 

 " Claraiba " (Cordia excelsa), and as his description tallies so 

 closely with my specimen I have included that name. 



No. 148. WEST INDIAN BOXWOOD (reputed to be 

 Tabebuia pentaphylla. Hemsl.). 



As Buxus, Plate XII. Fig. 105. 



Natural Order. Bignoniaceae. 



Synonym. Tecoma pentaphylla. D.C. 



Sources of Supply. West Indies, Brazil, Panama. 



Alternative Names. Zapatero in England. White Cedar in 

 Bermuda and the Windward Isles : Roble bianco in Cuba and 

 Cogwood also in the Windward Isles (12). Pokier de la Mar- 

 tinique. Poirier blanc. Whitewood in Brazil (88). Amarilla 

 yema de huevo. Dottergelb (131). Under a magnifying power 

 of x 3 the appearance of this wood is the same as Buxus. 



Physical Characters, etc. Recorded dry-weight 49-54J lbs. 

 per cu. ft. Hardness Grade 2, compare Boxwood. Smell and 

 taste none. Burns well: ignites slowly but embers glow in 

 still air. Solution with water or alcohol colourless. Absorbs 

 water unusually rapidly. 



Grain. Fine, close, dense and even. Surface dull : smooth 

 and cold to the touch. Curly wood and knots scarcely ever 

 occur. 



Bark. Yellowish, about £ inch thick, not fissured, lenticels 

 rare : usually much battered : sometimes exudes an unpleasant 

 gum. 



Uses, etc. Similar to those of the true Boxwoods for the in- 

 ferior qualities which it serves very well. Very liable to split 

 in drying : rends easily and straight. Usually met with in 

 straight, cylindrical logs (with bark) up to 12 inches in diam., 

 also in half-round flitches of inferior colour. 



Authorities. Wiesner (13), L. 12, p. 999. Catalogue-Museum 

 No. 1, Kew (57). Saldanha da Gama (99). 



Colour. Uniform light yellow to brown. A sap-wood tree, 

 no heart-wood. 



Anatomical Characters. Transverse section : — 



169 



