Sunday, July 29, 2007

Looking for a name III

Oddly enough, our nameless tree got cut this week because the power company decided to make the electrical connection from the power line to reception center via the trail I mentioned earlier. Cleuson and Bimba cut the dozen or so trees condemned by the "lights for all" rural electrification program. I mentioned the pajucara story to Cleuson, to which he responded, "it's a miolo preto tree. We use it a lot for making charcoal." The word miolo is used in referring to "brains" but it also refers to "pith", as the heartwood of the tree. Thus, black pith. Well! Another lead in identifying the tree. I need to do some more research but a fast look at possibilities via the net didn't produce any new information. Secretly, I take to the name miolo preto much better than pajucara. Believe me, it's always an adventure learning something new in the world of tropical biodiversity.

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