Locust-Berry

Byrsonima lucida (Mill.) DC.

burse-OH-nem-ah (often pronounced as burse-oh-NEEM-ah) LOO-sah-dah

Malpighiaceae

Explanation of name: Lucida means light or clear. The history of the generic name is not lucid:

From the Malpighiaceae website cited below:

The name Byrsonima was first mentioned in print by A. L. de Jussieu (1811, p. 481), who ascribed it to L. C. Richard; Jussieu said the group was given that name "parce que ces espèces sont employées dans leur pays natal pour tanner les cuirs." Don (1831, p. 636) gave this explanation of the meaning of the name: "(from byrsa, a hide, and nimius, much used; because the bark of some of the species is used in tanning in Brazil)." The problem with this explanation is that bursa is Greek while nimius is Latin ; it seems unlikely that Richard would have created a generic name by mixing Greek and Latin words. Besides, nimius does not mean much used; it simply means much or excessive. An alternative explanation has been proposed by Prof. Michael Shaw of Kansas University (pers. comm. via Caleb Morse). He points out that burs alone can mean leather, suggesting that -onima comes from the Greek word onymia (name), meaning "named for leather."

Natural range: Caribbean, southernmost Florida (not Palm Beach County) (TOM)

Natural habitat: Pinelands, hammocks (WU1)

Recognition: Dense shrub to small tree with jointed twigs, forked branching, and small, shiny, opposite, glandless leaves having obovate or oblanceolate or spatula-shaped blades. Stipules borne above the petiole bases. Flowers slightly bilaterally symmetrical with 5 petals having abruptly narrowed bases (true of most Malpighiaceae), emerging white or pink, then darkening (TOM). Fleshy fruit with a single hard stone.

            Differing from Malpighia (WU1) by having filaments basally pubescent (vs. glabrous), styles narrow toward the tip (vs. broadened)

Landscape uses: Dense, branchy, colorful, flowering native shrub not often seen in cultivation yet attractive and tough. The fruits attract birds and the flowers attract butterflies (UFFPS81). As with other Malpighiaceae, oil glands on the back sides of the sepals attract bees able to reach around the petals and remove the oil.

Species of Byrsonima in other cultures are valued for edible fruits used for juices, sherbets, and liquors.

Internet source: http://herbarium.lsa.umich.edu/malpigh/ByrClade/Byrsonima/Byr1.html