Willow Bustic

Title

Willow Bustic

Authors

Ethan H. Freid

Scientific Name

Sideroxylon salicifolium (L.) Lam.

Description

Family

Sapotaceae

Habit

Sideroxylon salicfolia 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 five unfused sepals that are covered with brown hairs. The corolla has five partially fused petals that are whitish yellow. Each petal has two appendages (staminodia). There are five true stamens. The fruit is a berry that turns red then black with maturity.

Sideroxylon salicfolia grows on a limestone substrate in both Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formations and in Pine Woodlands.

Distribution in Bahamas/Globally

Sideroxylon salicfolia occurs throughout the Bahamian Archipelago as well as in Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America.

Sideroxylon salicfolia has no known cultural or economic uses.