Bwa-yo - Société Audubon Haiti

Figure 2.4 The fast-growing, tall, straight, self-pruning
stem of large-leaf varieties of C. arborescens is valued
for beams and joists.
Bwa Pie 1S
drier, rocky sites of the lower
el evations, particularly on
the coastal and leeward
slopes of mountain areas in
Haiti. The leaves of C.
arborescens are palatable to
animals and damage IS
extensive under free-grazing
conditions. Basal sprouting
occurs with the large-leaf
variety in response to subhumid,
droughty conditions
(Fig. 2.5). This trait can be
managed for mixed-aged
stems by leaving a couple
sprouts to develop in the
shade of the main stem.
The small-leaf variety
rarely grows taller than 18
m, limited by the harsher site
conditions of its natural
range. Stem diameters are
generally less than 20 em.
Adaptations to drierconditions
are evident in the
small-leaf variety, with its
thicker leaves and heavier
seeding. The crown is more
compact than that of the
large-leaf variety, with lateral
branching occurring more frequently along the stem axis and extending further down
the stem. Self-pruning is less evident and the shade cast by the crown is denser than the
large-leaf variety. C. arborescens coppices when cut on short rotations.
The heartwood is reddish-brown with a small proportion of lighter brown sapwood
on mature stems. The wood is hard and heavy, with a specific gravity ranging from
0.67--0.82 for samples taken from a 5-year-old stand in the Northwest. It seasons very
hard so that sawing and nailing are difficult.
The principal fruiting season of C. arborescens occurs from May tlU'ough July, with a
smaller harvest from November through January. There are 50,000-65,000 seeds kg· l .
Utilization: The most important use of C. arborescens is in house construction, where
the timber is utilized in all parts of the structure (Fig. 2.6). Because the large-leaf variety
provides one of the longest and straightest trunks ofany of the lowland tree species,
it is prized for joists, beams, ridgepoles and supports. As soon as the tree becomes
usable, after reaching a 10 em stem diameter, it generally is cut for building material,
with few stems left to grow larger than 25 em. Smaller-diameter trees are worked in the