14315: Christophe: Re: 14297: Cleo714: Yes Cleo there is a "Pye Sabliye" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Marc A. Christophe <mactof@erols.com>

Hi Cleo714

The "Pye Sabliye" you refered to does exist and is a well known tree of
Haiti's flora.  It is known, in French, as "le sablier" and this word refers
to the tree's fruits in the shape of an hourly glass. The Latin/scientific
name is "Hura crepitans" because when the fruits are dry they explode with a
"crackling" (crepiter) noise.  Le "sabliye" is a tree with dense foliage,
and is capable of reaching 31meters.  It grows along river banks or near
water.  During the 1900s several avenues in PAP and other cities (Saint
Marc) were bordered with "sabliyes" that provided a much needed  shade.
When a Haitian forgets to send money home or appears to forget his/her
family in Haiti, it is ironically said that he/she must have stayed too long
under a "sabliye".  Indeed, in Creole, the word "sabliye" refers to the verb
"bliye" which means "to forget".