Bwa-yo - Société Audubon Haiti

40 Fwenn
S. berteroana is endemic to Hispaniola and found scattered throughout the country
at elevations 100-600 m. The range of the species overlaps with S. glauca in the wetter
regions, though much less common, and extends into the drier zones which S. glauca
does not prefer.
S. glauca is shade tolerant and occurs as an understory tree, particularly under the
canopy of large fruit trees where birds perch and deposit the seed. Birds relish the ripe
drupes and play an important role in seed dispersal from March to July. The species does
poorly on severely degraded sites and approaches the limits of its optimal range in
regions ofI-laiti receiving less than 1200 mm annual rainfall. Stressed seedlings in these
areas often are attacked by caterpillars and stem borers during the dry months. However,
the bitter leaves are avoided by livestock, an advantage for seedlings that develop slowlyon
tough sites.
Tree Characteristics: A remarkable attribute of Simarouba is the straightness of the
bole across sites varying widely in soil depth and quality. The tree develops a shallow
root system that is well adapted to mountain soils. Mature trees of S. glauca attain
heights of25-27 m and stem diameters of40-50 cm, often with a clear, cylindrical bole
to 9 m. S. berteroana, being found frequently on less-fertile sites, rarely grows taller
than 20 m with stem diameters ranging from 30--40 cm. The form is not as straight as
S. glauca and tends to fork at lower heights (Fig. 5.3). The crown of both species is narrow,
widths averaging 4-6 m, with a crown width:DBH ratio of 22-25. Boles clear of
branches often extend to two-thirds total tree height and are managed by pruning the lateral
branches. Pruning allows the
flexibility to grow the tree as part of
the upper story ofa perennial garden
or in pure, dense stands of rak bwa
(woodlot). The species coppices,
though not vigorously. Approximately
10% of the trees tallied by
Campbell (1994) were coppice
stems.
At least 2 branch stories or
whorls must be left when pruning S.
glauca to avoid impairing growth
rates (Lamprecht, 1989). Plantations
have been reported to resist storms
and drought and are favored over
cashew (Anacardium occidentale)
for such reasons in India (Satpathi,
1984).
The wood is light (sp. gr. 0.38)
and soft with strength properties
normal for a wood of its density. The
creamy white color ofthe heartwood
is barely distinguishable from the
sapwood. It is commonly reported
in Haiti and other Caribbean islands
that the wood has a tendency to split
Figure 5.2 S. glauca is managed with mixed
annual and perennial food crops in the moist
regions of Haiti.