TREES OF PORTO RICO. 91 



XLV. Myrsinace^e. 



137. Ardisia glauciflora Urb. Mameyuelo. 



Tree from 15 to 25 feet high, occurring in the Luquillo region. The wood is used 

 for furniture. 



Wood white, beautifully marked with fine lines, fine-grained, taking a good polish, 

 hard, and heavy. Pores minute, isolated or in groups of two or three, evenly dis- 

 tributed. Pith rays numerous, broad, very conspicuous. 



Note. — Another species, Ardisia guadalupensis Duchass. (Badula, Mameyuelo), 

 attains a somewhat larger size and wider distribution on the island. Its wood is 

 similarly used and has the same structural characteristics as the above but is a 

 light reddish brown instead of white. 



XLVI. SAPOTACE.E. 



*138. Achras zapota L. Sapodilla, Nispero 1 ; Naceberry, Bullet tree (Br. W. I.). 



Tree from 30 to 45 feet high and about a foot in diameter. It is cultivated and 

 wild on the island, having been originally introduced from Venezuela, and widely 

 planted for the sake of its fruit. It is said to yield a gum similar to "gum chicle," 

 principally obtained from Mimusops globosa and Sapota zapotilla. The wood is 

 adapted for inside work, cabinetmaking, and furniture. 



Wood light red with darker stripes, fine and straight grained, susceptible of a high 

 polish, difficult to work on account of its extreme hardness, heavy (about 74 pounds 

 per cubic foot), strong, tough, and very durable in contact with the soil. Pores 

 very small, numerous, and arranged in more or less distinct radial rows between the 

 narrow pith ray* 



Note. — ( r he above is Calocarpum mammosum (L.) Pierre 



(Mamey Sapote; Bartaballi, [Br. Guiana]), a tree rrom 30 to 40 feet high and 

 of limited occurrence on the island. 



139. Lucuma multiflora A. DC. Acana, Hacana, Jacana; Contrevent (Br. W. I.). 

 Tree from 40 to 90 feet high and from 2 to 3 feet in diameter, found quite gener- 

 ally on the island and throughout tropical America. It yields very excellent timber 

 which is used for mill rollers, frames, furniture, and house building. 



Wood light colored, fine and straight grained, beautiful when polished, hard, 

 very heavy, strong, tough, and durable. Pores small and arranged in radial rows. 

 Pith rays narrow and indistinct. 



140. Micropholis. 



There are three tree species in this genus, Micropholis garcinifolia Pierre (Caimi- 

 tillo), from 45 to 60 feet high; Micropholis curvata (Pierre) Urb. (Leche prieto), from 30 

 to 60 feet high; and Micropholis chrysophylloides Pierre (Caimitillo, Leche prieto), 

 from 60 to 75 feet high, the former in the Sierra de Luquillo chiefly and the others in 

 the Sierra de Cayey and Cordillera Central. The wood, particularly of the last named, 

 is very hard and heavy, similar to that of Achras Zapota and is regarded locally as a 

 first-class wood. 



*141. Sideroxylon fcetidissimum Jacq. (=S. mastichodendron Jacq.). Ausubo, 2 

 Tortuga, Tortugo amarillo, Tortugo prieto; Caguani (Cuba); Mastic (Fla.). 



Tree from 30 to more than 50 feet high and from 2 to 3 feet in diameter, occurring 

 on the coast. It is common in southern Florida and throughout tropical America 



i This should not be confused with the true medlar, Mespilus germanica L., to which the Spanish "nis» 

 pero " most commonly applies, nor with the Japanese medlar or loquat (Eriobotryajaponica Lindl.), neither 

 of which are known to the Porto Rican public (C. & C). 



2 Two species, Sideroxylon fcetidissijnum and Mimusops nitida are both known as "ausubo." Of the 

 former Gifford and Barrett say, that it is "probably the most valuable wood per cubic foot in Porto Rico." 

 although they admit that "possibly two species are included under this name," which is more likely. 

 According to Urban, Sideroxylon fcetidissimum is not reported from the Sierra de Luquillo or other parts 

 of the interior, while Mimusops nitida is. Acocrding to Fernow and Taylor, however, this Sideroxylon is 

 widely distributed in the Sierra Maestra (Cuba). 



