Xylosma buxifolia

Xylosma buxifolia A. Gray

Family: Salicaceae

Habit: Xylosma buxifolia grows as a shrub to small tree to 3 m in height.  The trunk and branches often with branched spines. The glabrous leaves are arranged alternately, oval to ovate, to 5 cm long and 3 cm wide with 1 or 2 spines along the margin, and a spinose leaf apex.  The adaxial surface is often shiny.

Xylosma buxifolia is dioecious. The incomplete, imperfect actinomorphic flowers are arranged in fascicles or racemes.  The perianth has 4 unfused, green tepals. The staminate flowers have numerous unfused stamens. The carpellate flowers have a superior ovary with 2-6 locules and 2-6 ovules. The fruit is a round, few seeded, red berry.

Habitat: Xylosma buxifolia grows in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formations – Forest/Shrubland (coppice).

Distribution: Xylosma buxifolia occurs throughout the north central island groupings of the Lucayan Archipelago and the Caribbean region.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic Usage: Xylosma buxifolia is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.