Sideroxylon salicifolium

Sideroxylon salicifolium (L.) Lam.

Synonym: Bumelia salicifolia

Common Names: Willow Bustic

Habit: Sideroxylon salicifolium grows as a large shrub to small tree up to 15 meters in height and a trunk as wide as 50 cm but usually much smaller.  Young stems have brown hairs on the new growth.  The leaves are arranged alternately with an entire margin and can be up to 10 centimeters long.

The flowers are arranged in clusters along the stem, with very short pedicels, in leaf axils.  The calyx has 5 unfused sepals that are covered with brown hairs.  The corolla has 5 partially fused petals that are whitish yellow.  Each petal has 2 appendages (staminodia).  There are 5 true stamens.  The fruit is a berry that turns red then black with maturity.

Habitat: Sideroxylon salicifolium grows on a limestone substrate in both Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formations (coppice) and in Pine Woodlands.

Distribution: Sideroxylon salicifolium occurs throughout the Lucayan Archipelago as well as in Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America.

Medicinally/Cultural/Economic usage: Sideroxylon salicifolium has no known cultural or economic uses in the Bahamas.