
—S 



COOK AND COLLINS——-ECONOMIC PLANTS OF PORTO RICO. a9 
| for the same species in different parts of the island, it has seemed 
best in the preparation of this list not to separate the information 
from the native name with which it was collected except where the 
botanical identity of the plants has been established, even though a 
guess might have been made with some probability of correctness. 
| By the system of cross references it will, however, be possible for 
‘those who make use of the index to find all the available information, 
wherever classified. 
MISPLACED COMMON NAMES. 
Although sufficiently reliable to be of much assistance to strangers 
who desire to secure acquaintance with the local flora, the application 
of names in Porto Rico is in many cases misleading, well-known 
terms being used in the most novel relations. Thus the ‘‘ nispero” 
of Porto Rico is not the loquat or Japanese medlar (Hriobotrya 
japonica) as in Spain, but the sapodilla (Achras sapota). Quite a list 
of such misapplied names might be made, but a few of the more 
prominent will suffice to show how unreliable are inferences drawn 
from verbal or even from written information which is not based on 
actual contact with the objects. Thus in Porto Rico the-— 
Almendra (almond) is Terminalia catappa. 
Ciruela (plum) is Spondias purpurea. 
Castana (chestnut) is Artocarpus communis, the bread fruit. 
Nispero (loquat) is Achras sapota, the sapodilla. 
Nuez moscado (nutmeg) is Nectandra sp. 
Pimienta (pepper or allspice) is Aimomis caryophyllata, the bay-rum tree. 
Reseda (mignonette) is Lawsonia alba, the henna. 
Almacigo (mastic) is Bursera simaruba, the West Indian birch. 
Cereza (cherry) is Cordia collococca and other species. 
Many plants also have different local names. Those supplied by 
Captain Hansard are mostly from the vicinity of Luquillo in the 
northeast corner of the island, and although they are names of trees 
several are not known to be used in other parts. 
The English names of economic plants have also been included in 
this index, as far as practicable, in order to render the more certain 
the application of the Porto Rican designations for those who may 
have had previous experience in other tropical countries. The list of 
‘colonial names” appended to Grisebach’s flora has been drawn upon 
for this purpose to a limited extent, but is generally very unsatisfac- 
tory for the reason that the locality where a name is used is not given. 
The names, English and Spanish, of some of the better known minor 
economic plants not yet recorded by botanists as growing in Porto 
Rico have been included in instances where these plants are known 
to have been introduced, and especially when they have become nat- 
uralized, in neighboring islands. It is extremely probable that some 
of these are already planted locally in Porto Rico, and as to those 
