Flora of Dominica, Part 2 - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 77 F~LYOAIACEAE-POLYGONACEAE 181
The fresh root has a menthol odor. Plants are used for a
medicinal tea for respiratory infections by Dominicans (Steyskal
s.n.) and a ritual tea by Caribs (Hodge and Taylor,
1957571). Adjanohoun et al. (1983163, pl. 129) confirmed
this and added other uses.
Securidaca Linnaeus, nom. cons.
Securidaca diversifolia
Securidaca diversifolia (Linnaeus) Blake in Standley, 1923594.
Polygala diversifollia Linnaeus, 1753:703.
Heavy climber; stems and leaves pubescent; petals pink to
purplish; hits maple-like.
Lesser Antilles and South America; occasional in Dominica
to 350 m: Bataka (Stehle 6634), Milton (Hodge 2521), Roseau
Botanic Garden (Hodge 3934), Syndicate (Nicolson 4167).
Flowering in April-May.
POLY GONACEAE
Antigonum leptopus W. Hooker & Amott, a Mexican
climbing vine with tendrils, sagittate leaves, and showy pink
tepals, was collected in an overgrown lime orchard between
Coulibistri and Colihaut (Wilbur 8119) and along the Baiac
road from Roseau (Whitefoord 4681), presumably an escape.
1. Tree, shrub or woody climber; flowers unisexual .....
......................... Coccoloba
1. Herb; flowers bisexual ............
Polygonurn
Coccoloba Browne, nom. cons.
1. Climber ................... C. ascendens
1. Tree or shrub.
2. Leaves orbicular to reniform, never longer than broad.
3.
3.
Leaves rugose, pubescent; fruits c1 cm long .....
..................... C. pubescens
Leaves smooth, glabrous; fruits >1 cm long .....
....................... C. uvifera
2. Leaves elliptic to ovate, longer than broad.
4. Leaves coriaceous, usually broadest below middle;
flowers sessile .............. C. swurtdi
4. Leaves thin, usually broadest above middle; flowers
shortly pedicelled ............. C. venosa
Coccoloba ascendens
Coccolobo ascendens Duss ex Lindau, 1890:156.-Howard, 1959a:71.
Liane barril, cercle barril.
Liana to 15 m; leaves broadly elliptic to ovate.
Lesser Antilles to Trinidad; in Dominica occasional in
treetops of rainforest and woodlands to 350 m: Bataka (Stehle
6092), Bornes (Nicolson 4238), Castle Bruce road (Cowan
1619), Glasham (Nicolson 2088), La Plaine (Ernst 1361),
Newfoundland (Nicolson 4124), Pointe Ronde (Hodge 2669),
Riversdale (Howard I1 758), Salybia (Hodge 3334).
Caribs use the stems in basket-making (Hodge and Taylor,
1957554).
Another climbing species, C. dussii Lindau with older stems
flattened, is expected in Dominica.
Coccoloba pubescens
Coccolobo pubescens Linnaeus, 1759a:1007.-Howard, 1959a:87.
Raisinier.
Tree to 13 m; leaves chartaceous, 40-80 cm across,
pubescent and rugose, apparently deciduous before flowering.
The immature aspect with wand-like stems and very large
leaves is most commonly seen.
Hispaniola to Barbados; not uncommon on Dominica in or
near dry woodlands to 350 m: Anse du Me (Wilbur 8298),
Cabrit (Nicolson 1891), Calibishie (Hodge 3142), Dublanc
(Whitefoord 4303), L' Anse Noire (Ernst 2099), Mero (Read
2029), Pointe Baptiste (Hodge 3499), Pointe Ronde (Hodge
2668). Flowering in April-May, fruiting in August.
Coccoloba swartzii
Coccoloba swartzii Meisner in A.P. Candolle, 1856, 14159.-Howard,
1959a:W.
Coccoloba diversifolia sensu auctt., non Jaquin.
Tree to 20 m; leaves coriaceous, usually broadest below
middle; flowers and hits f sessile.
Jamaica to Barbados; in Dominica in coastal woodland to
500 m: En Haut Jean (Whitefoord 5443), Hampstead (Wilbur
830, L'Anse Noire (Ernst 2062, Wilbur 7513), Marigot
(Howard 11754), Pointe Carib (Wilbur 8002), Salisbury (Stern
& Wasshausen 2591), Salybia (Hodge 3404, Nicolson 4139),
South Chiltern (Hodge 1583), below Syndicate (Whitefoord
4307). Apparently flowering in July-August, fruits gone by
February.
Coccoloba uvifera
Coccoloba uvifera (Linnaeus) Linnaeus, 1759a:1007.-Howard, 1959a:91.
Polygonurn uviferwn Linnaeus, 1753:365.
Sea grape, raisin bord-de-mer.
Tree to 17 m; leaves coriaceous, glabrous, broader than long.
Neotropical strand tree; dominant on Dominica along
beaches: Cabrits (Howard 11 750), Canefield (Nicolson I871),
Hatton Garden Estate (Hodge 29.59, Layou estuary (Whitefoord
3749), Petit Coulibri (Whitefoord 6059), Pointe Ronde
(Hodge 2686). Rosalie Bay (Wilbur 8019), Salybia (Hodge
3310, Scotts Head (Ernst 1330, Hodge 1605, Kimber 891,
Lloyd 515, Wilbur 7593).
products from this species have been used by Caribs in a
number of ways (Hodge and Taylor, 1957:555).