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(Last Modified On 12/18/2012)
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(Last Modified On 12/18/2012)
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Species
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BUCIDA BUCERAS L.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Syst. Nat. 2:1025. 1759.
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Synonym
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Buceras bucida Crantz, Inst. Rei Herb. 1:133. 1766. Terminalia buceras (L.) Wright, in Sauv. Fl. Cub. 38. 1868. Myrobalanus buceras (L.) 0. Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 237. 1891.
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Description
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Medium-sized tree, 5-20 m. high. Branchlets at first sericeous, sometimes spiny (but apparently rarely in Panama); growth sympodial. Leaves coriaceous, pseudo-whorled at the tips of the branchlets, shortly petiolate, petiole 2-10 mm. long, sericeous, eventually glabrescent, lamina elliptic, narrowly elliptic or obovate- elliptic, 2-9 X 1-4 cm., pilose-sericeous when young, later appressed-pilose, appressed-pubescent or nearly glabrous, blunt or rounded at the apex, cuneate at the base and often with two not very conspicuous glands. Flowers pale green (or violet?), 5-merous, sessile, mostly perfect, in axillary spikes 2-8 cm. long, rhachis appressed-pubescent. Lower receptacle 1-1.5 mm. long, sericeous-tomentose; upper receptacle shallow-cupuliform, 1 X 2.5 mm., appressed-pubescent, persistent. Calyx-lobes little developed. Stamens 10, filaments 4 mm. long, anthers 1 mm. long. Disk 5-lobed, round the base of the style. Style 3.5 mm. long, glabrous. Fruit ovoid or pyriform, up to 4-6 X 2.5-4.5 mm., slightly and somewhat un- equally 5-lobed, often slightly contorted, not winged, densely appressed-pubescent, crowned by the persistent upper receptacle (calyx), often galled.
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Habit
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tree
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Distribution
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Florida to Guiana (fide Pulle) and in the West Indies.
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Specimen
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BOCAS DEL TORO: southwest of Bocas at Macaw Hill, Von Wedel 557; vicinity of Chiriqui Lagoon, Isla Colon, Von Wedel 2929. CANAL ZONE: Aspinwall, Hayes 24, s. n.
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Note
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This species is very variable in size and shape of leaf and presence or absence of spines. As far as can be judged from the small amount of material seen, it is mainly the larger-leaved spineless form which occurs in Panama. In the West Indies forms with very much smaller leaves and well developed spines occur and Bucida spinosa Jennings (Terminalia spinosa Northrop, non Engl.) from the Ba- hamas, with leaves only about 1 cm. long and numerous spines, has been separated as a distinct species. The sterile specimen Von Wedel 557 from Macaw Hill has narrow leaves and one or two spines. It is described, possibly erroneously, as having violet flowers. The timber is said to be useful.
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