COOK AND COLLINS—ECONOMIC PLANTS OF PORTO RICO. 95 
Brasilete. 
Enumerated by Hill among trees used for dyeing and tanning. In Cuba the 
name is applied to Caesalpina pectinata and other related species. In Stahl’s 
Flora ‘‘ palo de brasilete’’ is Hcastophyllum monetaria, a leguminous shrub, 6 to 
12 feet (2 to 4 meters) high. Grosourdy refers it to Caesalpinia bijuga. 
Brassica juncea. Mostaza. 
An annual cruciferous weed, sometimes cultivated and used in medicine as a 
substitute for mustard. Bello reports this common name for Sinapis brassicata. 
(Stahl, 2: 184.) 
Brassica napa. TURNIP. 
The turnip is very little cultivated in Porto Rico. In the market at San Juan 
very small ones were selling at four for 1 cent. 
Brassica oleracea. CABBAGE. COL. 
The cabbage is a temperate vegetable very popular in tropical conntries, and 
generally cultivated on a small scale in private gardens, in spite of the fact that 
only indifferent success is attained. The plants mostly fail to form heads or pro- 
duce only a small and loose cluster of leaves. Under very favorable circumstances 
and by using good seed of early varieties it is occasionally possible to attain some- 
what better results, but at the time of our visit cabbages from the United States 
were selling at half a peso (30 cents) apiece, no competition being afforded by the 
insignificant home-grown vegetable. With better care and better seed the latter 
can undoubtedly be improved, but the importation of American cabbages at lower 
prices may be expected to greatly increase. 
For cultivation in the tropical garden the variety of cabbage called collards is 
generally more satisfactory than the sorts usually grown in the North. This 
variety does not head, but the leaves are more delicate than the outer leaves of 
cabbage and make very acceptable and wholesome ‘‘ greens.”’ It will flourish 
where cabbages can be produced only with difficulty or not at all, with the addi- 
tional advantage of growing as a perennial and thus remaining available for food 
during most of the year. 
Brazil nut. See Bertholletia excelsa. 
Bread fruit. See Artocarpus communis. 
Bretonica. See Chaptalia integrifolia and Valerianodes. 
Bretonica afelpada. See Melochia tomentosa. 
Bretonica aserrada. See Melochia serrata. 
Bretonica peluda. See Melochia hirsuta. 
Bretonica piramidal. See Melochia pyramidata and M. nodiflora. 
Bretonica prieta. See Melochia nodiflora. 
Brigueta. See Ilex dioica. 
Brigueta naranjo. See Ilex macoucoua. 
Bromelia pinguin. Pincurin. PINUELA. 
A wild relative of the pineapple. found everywhere at lower elevations in Porto 
Rico, and often planted for hedges. The margins of the leaves have sharp, cutting 
spines, mostly curved upward, but often reversed so that even the most casual 
contact is likely to result in a wound. It was Bromelia which added so much to 
the difficulty of operations about Santiago, and a hedgerow of it is indeed a 
formidable obstacle for men or horses. 
The pulp inclosing the seeds has a pleasant, slightly acid taste somewhat sug- 
gesting the pineapple; it is also used as an anthelmintic. Like those of the true 
pineapple and most other members of the present family, the leaves contain a fine 
fiber which might be utilized if obtainable in good condition and in sufficient 
