Bwa-yo - Société Audubon Haiti

3 Bwa Soumi
Species: Cordia alliodora (Ruiz Lopez & Pavon) Oken.
Family: Boraginaceae
Synonyms: Cerdana alliodora Ruiz & Pavon, Cordia alliodora (Ruiz Lopez & Pavon)
Cham., C. geracanthus Jacq.
Common Names: H - bois de rose (bwa woz), bois soumis (bwa soumi), chene caparo
(chenn kapawo), chene franc (chennfran), chene noir (chenn nwa); RD - capa, capa de
olor, capa de sabana, capa 0 laurel, capa prieto, guacimilla; C - varia, varia prieta, varia
colorada, varia amirilla.
Importance: This species is an ideal timber species for traditional agroforestry models
utilizing multi-tiered perennial crops characteristic of the lakou garden. The natural
form of the tree provides an excellent mix of shade, as well as valuable lumber, and
should be considered as an integral component in coffee-growing regions of Haiti.
Taxonomy and Botanical Features: The genus Cordia includes some 200 species
ranging from shrubs to large. trees (Liegel and Stead, 1990). Large differences in morphological
and phenological features exist among varieties of C. alliodora and have created
considerable taxonomic confusion. Two distinct races are recognized in Costa Rica.
The distinguishing features of the tree are the whorled branches extending in horizontal
layers from the main stem and the showy white flowers that cover the canopy during
the dry season (Fig. 3.2). The flowers are clustered tightly in terminal branches, each
flower with a tubular calyx that is 5-lobed and white, turning to brown. Leafblades are
6.5-15 cm long, with the undersides finely hairy, extending from hairy petioles 9.5-19
mm long. They smell like garlic when crushed. The terminal branches are swollen at the
nodes.
Distribution· and Ecology: This species is a native to Haiti, though it is common in
restricted regions. The native range of the species covers the entire Caribbean area and
extends from central Mexico to a broad belt across South America from Peru to Bolivia
and Brazil (Little and Wadsworth, 1964). This extensive range includes an annual rainfall
from 1000-4500 mm and 0-4 dry months. In Haiti, the species grows from sea level
to about 600 m, mostly confined to the lower foothills of the moist subtropical forest
(sensu Holdridge, 1967) and extending into the wet forest, where there is annual rainfall
between 1200-2000 mm. It is common in southern Haiti, particularly along the
southwest coast from Port Salut to Tiberon, and in the foothills extending west of the
Chaine de Selle. Dr. Ekman collected plant specimens of the species in the Chaine de
Mathieu on Morne-a-Cabrit in 1927.
The soils where C. alliodora is found along the coastal regions are typically sandy
and gravelly, commonly associated with ravines and river flood plains. The tree is adapted
to a wide range of soils, including deep clayey and calcareous soils on gently rolling
slopes, but it grows poorly on degraded sites and steep slopes. It naturally regenerates
on abandoned fields and pastures. Seedlings have been found beneath 2- to 4-year-old
stands at several sites where C. alliodora had been planted for the first time.
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