TREES OE PORTO RICO. 95 



156. Vitex divaricata Sw. Higuerillo, Pendula, Palo de pendula, Pendula bianco; 

 Lizard wood, Fiddle wood (Br. W. I.). 



Tree from 30 to 60 feet high and from 20 to 30 inches in diameter, found in mountain- 

 ous regions, common to many of the islands of the Lesser Antilles. Used locally for 

 shelves, boards, framework of houses, in cabinetwork, and suitable for all inside and 

 outside work. 



Wood white, moderately fine grained, hard, heavy (about 50 pounds per cubic foot), 

 strong, and durable. Pores small, isolated or in groups of from two to five. Pith rays 

 narrow, inconspicuous. 



*157. Avicennia nitida Jacq. Chifle de vaca, Mangle bianco, Mangle bobo; Black 

 mangrove (Br. W. I.). 



Shrub or tree from 40 to 70 feet high and from 12 to 24 inches in diameter, found in 

 tidal swamps. Widely distributed throughout the West Indies, and the shores of the 

 American and African continental Tropics. The wood is used locally for foundations, 

 underpinning for houses, fence posts, drains, and for charcoal and fuel. 



Wood dark brown, rather coarse grained, with conspicuous tangential lines visible 

 on a transverse surface, hard, heavy, and very durable in damp situations. Pores 

 small, isolated or in groups of from two to five, arranged largely in radial lines. Pith 

 rays narrow, inconspicuous. 



LIV. BlGNONIACE^E. 



158. Tabebuia. 



This genus embraces two local species, first described by Urban in 1899, of very lim- 

 ited distribution, namely, Tabebuia rigida Urb. (Roble), from 20 to 60 feet high from 

 the Luquillo region, and Tabebuia schumanniana Urb. (Roble Colorado), from 30 to 

 50 feet high, occurring in the mountains near Utuado. 



Wood light brown, fine grained, taking a good polish, moderately hard and heavy, 

 strong, tough, and very durable. Pores small, numerous, arranged in conspicuous 

 tangential lines visible to the unaided eye on a smooth transverse surface. Pith rays 

 inconspicuous. 



*159. Tecoma pentaphylla (L.) Juss. Roble, Roble bianco; West Indian boxwood. 



Tree from 20 to 60 feet high, quite common throughout the island, particularly in the 

 limestone hills, and found in the Antilles generally. The wood is used in Porto Rico 

 and throughout tropical America for ox yokes, piles, for house and boat building, and 

 for general purposes. 



Wood white and fine grained, moderately hard, heavy (about 52 pounds per cubic 

 foot) , and strong. Pores small, isolated or in groups of two or three, evenly distributed. 

 Faint tangential lines of soft tissue may be seen with a hand lens. Pith rays minute, 

 inconspicuous. 



160. Tecoma leuycoxylon (L.) Mart. Roble, Roble prieto; White wood (Br. W. I.). 



Tree from 20 to 60 feet high most commonly found in the limestone hills of the south 

 coast and less frequently in the Sierra de Luquillo and Cordillera Central. Not an 

 important tree in Porto Rico, but in other parts of tropical America it yields a wood 

 used for furniture, house building and sounding boards, and musical instruments, also 

 for posts, piles, and other purposes in exposed- situations. 



Wood resembles somewhat that of the preceding. 



Note. — Another species of little importance is Tecoma haemantha (Bertero) 

 Griseb. (Roble), from 25 to 30 feet high, from the coast hills and interior valleys. 



*161. Crescentia cujeteL. Higiiero; Calabash (Br. W. I.); Jicara, Tigulate, Temante, 

 Palo de melon, Melon tree (Mexico and Central America). 



Wild and cultivated tree from 10 to 45 feet high and from 12 to 18 inches in diameter, 

 widely distributed throughout the island. The wood is not known to be used locally, 

 but the rind or bony outside covering of the fruit, like the shell of the coconut, finds 

 a multiplicity of domestic uses for cooking utensils and tableware. The wood is used 



