Flora of Dominica, Part 2 - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 77
Morisonia Linnaeus
Morisonia americana
Morisonia americana Linnaeus, 1753:503.
Woody plant to 10 m, lepidote-stellate, becoming glabrous;
leaves (acute) obtuse to rounded, blade often minutely k
peltate; flowers in cauliferous racemes; calyx closed in bud,
irregularly bifid by rupture; petals to 1.2 cm long, lepidote
without, pubescent within; fruit k globose, to 8 cm thick;
gynophore short, 0.3-0.8 cm long.
Neotropics; in Dominica in scrub woodlands along northwest
coast: Cabrits (Ernst 1931, Nicolson 1903, Sm‘fh 10318,
Webster 13295, Whitefoord 4008). Colihaut (DHN!), Coulibistri
(Nicolson 4112).
CAPRIFOLIACEAE
(by R. Kiger)
Sambucus canadensis
Sambucus canadensis Linnaeus, 1753:269.-Howard, 1989,6473.
Sambucus canadensis var. Iaciniata Gray, 1884. 1(2):9.-D’Arcy, 1973:160.
Sambucus intermedia var. insularis Schwerin, 1909:38.
Sambucus shpsonii Rehder in Sargent, 1911. 2187, pl. 175.-Little et al.,
1974:980, pl. 749.
Elder, suyeau or suredu (Carib), du the pays.
Shrubs or small trees to 5 m tall; leaves opposite, pinnately
compound, leaflets (3) 5, 7 or 9, simple or the lateral leaflets
trilobate or trifoliolate, serrate; inflorescence compoundcymose,
peduncled; flowers numerous, small, white; ovary
3-5-celled, inferior; mature hits reported as globose, black,
-5 mm diameter.
North America, West Indies; in Dominica only? cultivated
at Bellevue (Taylor 5), Bells (Whitefoord 6141), Carib Reserve
(Taylor 38B, 156).
Leaves used as tea for colds and fever (Hodge and Taylor,
1975613). Adjanohoun et al. (198563, pl. 30) gave similar
usages.
Ed. Note: Dr. Kiger followed D’Arcy’s treatment. I have
taken the liberty of following Howard’s.
CARICACEAE
(by R. DeFilipps)
Carica papaya
Carica papay Linnaeus, 1753:1036.-Little & Wadsworth, 1964:374, pl. 174.
Papaya, paw-paw.
Unbranched, dioecious, herbaceous tree to 3 m with milky
sap; leaves large, palmately lobed; fruit succulent, edible.
Pantropically cultivated, cultivated in Dominica: Roseau
Botanic Garden (Hodge 3891) and fruit available in markets.
Adams (1972:497) described the four types of flowers.
Caribs use the baked fruit as a poultice for local inflammations
(Hodge and Taylor, 1957:590).
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
(by R. DeFilipps)
Drymaria cordata
Drymaria cordata (Linnaeus) Willdenow ex Schultes in Roemer & %hulks,
1819,5:406.
Holmtewn cordatm Linnaeus. 1753:88.
Prostrate herb; leaves orbicular to reniform, stipules lacerate,
whitish; petals bifid, white.
Pantropical weed; in Dominica in lawns, walls and roads to
550 m: Clarke Hall (Chambers 2702, Ernst 1629, Fosberg
48305), Lisdara (Hodge 438,2460), Portsmouth (Hodge 440),
South Chiltem (Hodge 1519), Sylvania (Hodge 439).
Adjanohoun et al. (198565, pl. 3 1) reported minor medicinal
usage.
CASUARINACEAE
Casuarina equisetgolia
Casuarina equisetifolia Linnaeus, 1759, Amoen. 4123, 143, “equisefolia”.-
J.R. & J.G. Fonter, 1775:104.-Friis, 1980.
Casuarina litorea Linnaeus ex Fosberg & Sachet, 1975b:4, nom. illeg. (incl.
Casuarina equbetifoia Linnaeus).
Beefwood.
Monoecious tree to 35 m; branchlets linear, terete, jointed
with whorled, scale-like leaves; staminate flowers in spikes;
pistillate flowers in heads.
Native to Australia but widely introduced; apparently only
cultivated in Dominica: Roseau Botanic Garden (Fairchild
2740), Sylvania (Hodge 950).
Friis’ position on the nomenclature was formalized by
insertion of Ex. 2 in Art. 34 (ZCBN) concerning Linnaean vs.
Rumphian names.
C ELAST RACEAE
1. Branchlet lenticels conspicuous; inflorescences racemiform;
fruits f globose, 3-lobed and 3-locular . ......
.......................... Celastrus
1. Branchlet lenticels obscure; inflorescences f fasciculate;
fruits ellipsoid, unlobed and usually 2-locular . ......
.......................... Maytenus
Celastrus Linnaeus
Celastrus racernosus
Celastrvs racemosus (Reissek) Lxsener, 1898:199, “racema”.--Ding Hw,
1955:279.-Whitefoord, 1989: 144.
Maytenus racemosa Reissek in Martius, 1861, 11(1):30, pl. 4: fig. 15,
“racemus.”
Celastrvs grenadensis Urban, 1904,551.
Celastrus racemosus var. trinitensis Urban, 1904,552.
Shrub with alternate leaves to 15 cm x 8 cm; fruits -1 cm x
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