Flora of Dominica, Part 2 - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 77 BOMBACACXAE-B~RAQINACEAE 53
Lele, swizzle-stick tree.
Tree to 6 m; branches whorled, leaves to 27 cm long,
sparsely minutely lepidote below and pubescent in vein axils.
West Indies and northern South America; in Dominica in
low forests: Calibishie (Hodge 2733), Carib Reserve (Stehle
6384), Deux Branches (Hodge 3101). sine loc. (Imray s.n.,
1859, Taylor 109).
A source of stimng sticks (Hodge and Taylor, 1957582).
BORACINACEAE
(by A.C. Nicolson)
Argusia gnaphalodes (Linnaeus) Heine, also known as
Mallotonia gnaphalodes (Linnaeus) Britton, has sessile, spatulate,
tomentose leaves, 3-10 cm long and was reported for
Dominica by V6lez (1957:76) based on a report by Stehle (non
vidi). Howard (1989, 6189) reported it, with exclamation
mark, but I have not seen the Dominica record.
Rochefortia spinosa (Jacquin) Urban (including Rochefortia
cuneata Swartz) has leaves clustered on short shoots and is
sparingly spiny. It was first attributed to Dominica by Britton
and Wilson (1925,6:130), perhaps based on material from the
Dominican Republic, although Johnston (1949b: 128) cited
Dominica.
Symphytwn ofSicinale Linnaeus of Europe was reported by
Adjanohoun et al. (198559, pl. 25) as cultivated around houses
in the Lesser Antilles as a medicinal plant. Its presence on
Dominica is unconfirmed.
1. Style twice-branched, stigmas 4 .......... Cordia
1. Style simple or wanting; stigma simple or 2-lobed.
2. Inflorescence a branching corymb; flowers longpedicellate
.................. Bourreria
2. Inflorescence a branched or unbranched scorpioid spike;
flowers sessile or k sessile.
3. Inflorescence unbranched (rarely once-branched)
..................... Heliotropium
3. Inflorescence 2-more-branched .... Tournefortia
Alternative Key
1. Inflorescences corymbose.
2. Inflorescence glabrous ............ Bourreria
2. Inflorescence pubescent. ............ Cordia
1. Inflorescence spicate, racemose, or capitate.
3. Inflorescence capitate ............. Cordia
3. Inflorescence spicate or racemose.
4. Inflorescence 2-more-branched; woody climbers
or trees ................ Tournefortia
4. Inflorescence unbranched or with 1 branch; erect
shrubs or herbs.
5. Calyx teeth shorter than calyx tube ... Cordia
5. Calyx teeth longer than calyx tube .......
.................. Heliotropium
Bourreria Browne, nom. cons.
Bourreria succulenta
Boweria succulenta Jaquin, 1760:14.-Little & Wadsworth, 1964:466, pl.
220.
Boweria donu’ngenris sensu Mien, 1869,2233, non Grisebach.
Bowerin recwva Mien, 1869,2234.
Cotlette, tawai (Carib).
Shrub or small tree to 8 m; leaves glabrous, elliptic-ovate,
base tapering, apex k acute, to 12 cm 5 cm; petiole to 1 cm;
inflorescence loosely corymbose, to 12 cm broad; calyx
campanulate, pubescent within, tube 5 mm, lobes 2 mm,
deltoid; corolla white, tube 6 mm, lobes 4 mm, rounded;
stamens exserted; style 8 mm; stigma capitate; fruit an orange
berry, 1 cm across.
Neotropics; in Dominica common below 100 m: Cabrits
(Nicolson 1902, 4196, Webster 13316, Whitefoord 4002),
Calibishie (Hodge 3140). Dublanc (Whitefoord 4297), Grand
Bay (Wilbur 7999), La Plaine (Wilbur 8171), Layou Valley
(Ernst 1525, Stern & Wasshausen 2420), Pointe Baptiste
(Hodge 3740), Pointe Ronde (Hodge 2635), Portsmouth
(Hodge 790), Prince Ruperts Head (Finlay in 1792), Salisbury
(Ernst 1431, Nicolson 2039, Stern & Wasshausen 2455, Wilbur
7648,8112), Salybia (Hodge 3218, 3272, Taylor 17), Walkers
Rest (Chambers 2773), Woodford Hill (Ernst 1684).
The Caribs obtain an emollient fluid from the inner bark to
use on inflamed eyes (Hodge and Taylor, 1957599).
Cordia Linnaeus
1. Inflorescence unbranched.
2. Inflorescence capitate; sepals setaceous . . C. globosa
2. Inflorescence spicate; sepals short-triangular.
3. Leaves small, obovate, slightly crenate, rounded at
apex .................. C. divancata
3. Leaves large, ovate, serrate, acuminate at apex ...
................... C. martinicensis
1. Inflorescence branched.
4. Leaf margins serrate; leaf scabrous above.
5. Inflorescence axillary, with ball-like flower clusters
.................... C. polycephala
5. Inflorescence terminal; flowers scattered .......
..................... C. nesophila
4. Leaf margins entire; leaf scabrous or glabrous above.
6. Calyx and corolla persistent, enveloping slender,
elongate dry hit; calyx conspicuously 10-ribbed
...................... C. alliodora
6. Corolla withering and deciduous; calyx not conspicuously
10-ribbed; fruit fleshy, drupaceous.
7. Leaves obovate; fruits red ..... C. collococcu
7. Leaves ovate; fruit white.
8. Leaves medium, glabrous; mature calyx campanulate,
splitting irregularly . ... C. reticulata
8. Leaves large, scabrous; mature calyx appearing
salverform .............. C. sulcuta