74 BULLETIN 354, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



state. Wood used for carpentry and cabinetwork. Wood reddish-brown, handsome, 

 fineand straight grained, taking a high polish, hard, heavy (about 51 pounds per 

 cubic foot), strong, and durable. 



*50. H&matoxylum campechianum L. Palo de Campeche, Campeche; Logwood. 



Tree from 20 to 40 feet high and 6 or more inches in diameter, occurring in 

 the western part of the island chiefly along the coast and throughout tropical America. 

 It is occasionally planted on the island for its wood, the logwood of commerce, which 

 is used in making dyes. 



Wood blood red, very fine and cross grained, taking a very high polish, hard, heavy, 

 strong, tough, and very durable. 



51. Poinciana regia Boj. Flamboyan, Flamboyan Colorado; Flame tree (Br. W.'L). 

 Cultivated tree from 45 to 60 feet high, found mostly in the western part of the 



island. Native of Madagascar. It is a beautiful ornamental shade tree very common 

 in the West Indies and widely planted throughout the Tropics. Wood little used. 



Wood white, moderately fine grained, taking a good polish, but soft, light, and not 

 strong. Pores small, isolated or in groups of two or three, evenly distributed. Tan- 

 gential lines of wood-parenchyma fibers very prominent. Pith rays minute, very 

 inconspicuous. 



52. Ormosia trugii Urb. Palo de mato, Mato, Peronia. 



Tree from 30 to 80 feet high, with a limited occurrence throughout the island. The 

 wood is used only for charcoal. Wood very light, soft, and inferior. 



53. Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. Gallito, Baculo, Cresta de gallo. 



A tall shrub or small cultivated tree from 10 to 30 feet high, quite generally planted 

 over the island. Probably a native of the East Indies. The wood is used for poles, 

 posts of native houses, and firewood. Parts of the tree are used medicinally and as 

 food. Wood white, soft, light, and not durable. Pores of medium size, isolated or 

 in groups of two to five, evenly distributed. Pith rays small, indistinct. 



*54. Pictetia aculeata (Vahl.) Urb. ( = P. aristata P. DC). Tachuelo, Hachuelo. 



Tree from 15 to 30 feet high, found chiefly in the southern and eastern coastal 

 regions. The wood is often used in native house construction for underpinning, 

 shingles, and shelving, and for cabinet work. It becomes with age extremely hard, 

 so that it will turn the edge of almost any woodworking tool. It is somewhat used 

 for fuel, but the charcoal burner avoids it because of the effect upon his ax. 



Wood dark brown, fine, and straight grained, taking a very high polish, extremely 

 hard, heavy, strong, tough, lasting almost indefinitely in contact with the soil. Pores 

 rather small and connected by numerous fine tangential lines, which are visible 

 only under a hand lens on a smooth transverse surface. 



55. Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. Palo polio, Palo de polio. 



Tree from 75 to 90 feet high and from 1 foot to 2 feet in diameter, found chiefly in 

 swampy localities in Porto Rico, but more generally distributed in other parts of the 

 West Indies and Central America. Wood is used for fuel. 



Wood light brown or rusty colored, fine and straight grained. It does not take a 

 very high'polish and is soft, light (about 35 pounds per cubic foot), weak, brittle, 

 and not durable in contact with the soil. 



56. Lonchocarpus . 



This genus is represented in Porto Rico by three species which are of but slight 

 economic importance. Lonchocarpus latifolius (W.) H. B. K. (Palo Hediondo, Forte 

 Ventura), a tree occasionally 60 feet high found in many parts of the island. The 

 wood, sometimes used locally for furniture, is reddish with occasional dark or black 

 streaks. Lonchocarpus domingensis (Pers.) P. DC. (Geno-geno),_ and Lonchocarpus 

 glaucifolius Urb. (Geno), tree from 15 to 45 feet high with a limited distribution in 

 the western part of the island. Wood used for fuel. 



