Sideroxylon
Encyclopedia
Sideroxylon is a genus
of flowering plant
s in the family
Sapotaceae
. There are about 70 species
, collectively known as bully trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek
words σιδηρος (sideros), meaning "iron
", and ξύλον (xylon), meaning "wood."
, Madagascar
, and the Mascarene Islands
. Some species, such as Gum Bully (S. lanuginosum
), S. tenax, and Buckthorn Bully (S. lycioides
), are found in subtropical
areas of North America
. The only South Africa
n species, the White Milkwood (S. inerme
), is associated with three historical sites, and these individuals were declared national monuments due to their unusual longevity.
. The Tambalacoque (S. grandiflorum, syn. Calvaria major) of Mauritius
was affected by the extinction
of the bird
s which dispersed its seed; it was suggested that the species entirely depended on the dodo
(Raphus cucullatus) for that purpose and nearly became a victim of coextinction
, but this is not correct. Bully trees provide food for the larva
e of certain Lepidoptera
, such as the Bumelia Webworm Moth (Urodus parvula) as well as several species of Coleoptera of the genus Plinthocoelium, commonly known as Bumelia Borers.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Sapotaceae
Sapotaceae
Sapotaceae is a family of flowering plants, belonging to order Ericales. The family includes approximately 800 species of evergreen trees and shrubs in approximately 65 genera . Distribution is pantropical....
. There are about 70 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, collectively known as bully trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
words σιδηρος (sideros), meaning "iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
", and ξύλον (xylon), meaning "wood."
Distribution
The genus is distributed mainly in the neotropics, but also in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, and the Mascarene Islands
Mascarene Islands
The Mascarene Islands is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar comprising Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues, Cargados Carajos shoals, plus the former islands of the Saya de Malha, Nazareth and Soudan banks...
. Some species, such as Gum Bully (S. lanuginosum
Sideroxylon lanuginosum
Sideroxylon lanuginosum is a shrub or small tree of the family Sapotaceae. It is native to the Sun Belt and Midwest of the United States as well as Northeastern Mexico...
), S. tenax, and Buckthorn Bully (S. lycioides
Sideroxylon lycioides
The Buckthorn Bully is a small tree in the family Sapotaceae. It is widely distributed in the southeastern United States from Texas to New Jersey....
), are found in subtropical
Subtropics
The subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...
areas of North America
North American Atlantic Region
North American Atlantic Region is a floristic region within the Holarctic Kingdom identified by Armen Takhtajan and Robert F. Thorne, spanning from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts to the Great Plains and comprising a major part of the United States and southeastern portions of Canada...
. The only South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n species, the White Milkwood (S. inerme
Sideroxylon inerme
Sideroxylon inerme is a Southern African coastal tree, with dense foliage, black berries and small, dainty white flowers. The tree's formal name means "Iron-wood" in Greek, referring to its very hard timber....
), is associated with three historical sites, and these individuals were declared national monuments due to their unusual longevity.
Ecology
Several species have become rare due to logging and other forms of habitat destructionHabitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
. The Tambalacoque (S. grandiflorum, syn. Calvaria major) of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
was affected by the extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
of the bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s which dispersed its seed; it was suggested that the species entirely depended on the dodo
Dodo
The dodo was a flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. Related to pigeons and doves, it stood about a meter tall, weighing about , living on fruit, and nesting on the ground....
(Raphus cucullatus) for that purpose and nearly became a victim of coextinction
Coextinction
Coextinction of a species is the loss of a species as a consequence of the extinction of another. The term was originally used in the context of the extinction of parasitic insects following the loss of their specific hosts...
, but this is not correct. Bully trees provide food for the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e of certain Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
, such as the Bumelia Webworm Moth (Urodus parvula) as well as several species of Coleoptera of the genus Plinthocoelium, commonly known as Bumelia Borers.
Selected species
|
Sideroxylon jubilla Sideroxylon jubilla is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Cuba.-Source:* Areces-Mallea, A.E. 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007.... (Ekman ex Urb.) T.D.Penn. Sideroxylon lanuginosum Sideroxylon lanuginosum is a shrub or small tree of the family Sapotaceae. It is native to the Sun Belt and Midwest of the United States as well as Northeastern Mexico... Michx. – Gum Bully Sideroxylon lycioides The Buckthorn Bully is a small tree in the family Sapotaceae. It is widely distributed in the southeastern United States from Texas to New Jersey.... L. – Buckthorn Bully Sideroxylon mirmulano Sideroxylon mirmulano is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is found in Cape Verde, Madeira Islands , and Canary Islands . It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:... Sideroxylon montanum Sideroxylon montanum is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Jamaica. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007.... Sideroxylon octosepalum Sideroxylon octosepalum is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Jamaica.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007.... Sideroxylon peninsulare Sideroxylon peninsulare is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Mexico.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007.... (Brandegee) T.D.Penn. Sideroxylon reclinatum Sideroxylon reclinatum is a small tree in the family Sapotaceae. It occurs locally in the southeastern United States.Subspecies* Sideroxylon r. austrofloridense* Sideroxylon r. reclinatum* Sideroxylon r. rufotomentosum... Michx. – Florida Bully, Everglades Bully Sideroxylon retinerve Sideroxylon retinerve is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Honduras.-Source:* Nelson, C. 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007.... Sideroxylon rotundifolium Sideroxylon rotundifolium is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Jamaica.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007.... Sideroxylon rubiginosum Sideroxylon rubiginosum is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to the Dominican Republic.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007.... Sideroxylon socorrense Sideroxylon socorrense is a plant species in the family Sapotaceae. It is endemic to Mexico, occurring only on Socorro in the Revillagigedo Islands.On its island home, this small tree grows in habitat that is at least seasonally humid... (Brandegee) T.D.Penn. Sideroxylon stevensonii Sideroxylon stevensonii is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is found in Belize and Guatemala.The Faisán or Pheasant Zapote is a large tree of the Mopan river region of Belize. It is used primarily for lumber. Latex from this tree is used regionally as a substitute for gum... |
Formerly placed here
- Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels (as S. spinosum L.)
- Dipholis salicifoliaDipholis salicifoliaDipholis salicifolia, commonly called willow bustic or White Bully, is a species of flowering plant native to Florida, the West Indies and Central America. It was previously considered a member of the genus Sideroxylon, with the binomial Sideroxylon salicifolium...
(as S. salicifolium (L.) Lam.) - Micropholis acutangula (Ducke) Eyma (as S. acutangulum Ducke)
- Micropholis crassipedicellataMicropholis crassipedicellataMicropholis crassipedicellata is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Brazil. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Sources:* Pires O'Brien, J. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
(Mart. & Eichler ex Miq.) Pierre (as S. crassipedicellatum Mart. & Eichler ex Miq.) - Micropholis guyanensis (A.DC.) Pierre (as S. guyanense A.DC.)
- Micropholis rugosaMicropholis rugosaMicropholis rugosa is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Jamaica.-Sources:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
(Sw.) Pierre (as S. rugosum (Sw.) Roem. & Schult.) - Olinia ventosaOlinia ventosaOlinia ventosa is an evergreen forest tree indigenous to South Africa.Olinia ventosa is a native of the southern and eastern coastal regions of South Africa, from the Cape Peninsula to southern KwaZulu-Natal...
(L.) Cufod. (as S. cymosum L.f.) - Planchonella australisPlanchonella australisPouteria australis, also known by the synonym Planchonella australis, is a medium to tall rainforest tree of the family Sapotaceae native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia...
(R.Br.) Pierre (as S. australe (R.Br.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex F.Muell.) - Planchonella costata (Endl.) Pierre (as S. costatum (Endl.) F.Muell.)
- Planchonella eerwah (F.M.Bailey) P.Royen (as S. eerwah F.M.Bailey)
- Pouteria elegans (A.DC.) Baehni (as S. elegans A.DC.)
- Pouteria macrantha (Merr.) Baehni (as S. macranthum Merr.)
- Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E.Moore & Stearn (as S. sapota Jacq.)
- Pouteria reticulata (Engl.) Eyma (as S. uniloculare Donn.Sm.)
- Spiniluma discolorSpiniluma discolorSpiniluma discolor is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is endemic to Yemen. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.-Source:* Miller, A. 2004. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007....
(Radcl.-Sm.) Friis (as S. discolor A.R.Smith) - Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach.) Daniell (as S. dulcificum (Schumach.) A.DC.)