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The West Indian Locust

Modern-Day Relative Of New World Amber

  Large West Indian Locust On The Island Of St. John
  West Indian Locust Pods, Leaves And Seed Necklace
  Guapinol Seeds & West Indian Locust Seed Necklace

Large West Indian locust (Hymenaea courbaril) along the lush Reef Bay Trail on the Island of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Branch of the West Indian locust (Hymenaea courbaril) showing paired leaflets and large woody pods. One pod is cut lengthwise revealing four white seeds. The pods are dispersed by ocean currents throughout islands of the Caribbean, and the large, brown seeds are strung into attractive necklaces. Globs of yellowish resin exuded from the trunk of large trees is the source of copal varnish and incense, and the metamorphosed resin from an ancestral species (H. protera) is the source of Dominican Republic amber and lovely earrings.

The large "guapinol" seeds of West Indian locust (Hymenaea courbaril) are sanded and beautifully painted by artists. They are also strung into attractive hardwood necklaces.

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