''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

in the

Malpighiaceae Malpighiaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. It comprises about 73 genera and 1315 species, all of which are native to the tropics and subtropics. About 80% of the genera and 90% of the species occur in the New World ( ...

, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in

American English American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lan ...

, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to '' Byrsonima coccolobifolia'' or ''

Byrsonima lucida ''Byrsonima lucida'' is a species of plant in the Malpighiaceae family. It is endemic to islands in the Caribbean and to the U.S. state of Florida. It is a shrub or small tree, and produces pink flowers. Its natural habitat is hammocks in dry l ...

''). Another widely seen common name is serrets or serrettes. Nanche

''Byrsonima'' comprises over 135 species of trees,

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s, and

subshrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or dwarf shrub is a short shrub, and is a woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a related term. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Der ...

s found in the New World tropics and

subtropics The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° north and ...

from southern Mexico, southeastern Florida, and the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

to southeastern Brazil. The plants have entire leaves, yellow flowers, and fleshy, edible fruits called nance; '' B. crassifolia'' in particular is known by that name, as it is an

underutilized crop Neglected and underutilized crops are terms used to describe domesticated plant species used in previous centuries for food, fibre, fodder, oil or medicinal properties, but which have in recent times, been reduced in importance and value for vario ...

of some commercial importance in Latin America. They are primarily pollinated by various oligolectic native bees (e.g., '' Centris'', '' Epicharis'', and '' Tetrapedia'') that are specialized to collect floral oils, as the flowers do not offer the typical floral rewards. The fruits of serrette trees are important in the diets of certain wildlife, such as the

golden conure The golden parakeet or golden conure, (''Guaruba guarouba''), is a medium-sized golden-yellow Neotropical parrot native to the Amazon Basin of interior northern Brazil. It is the only species placed in the genus ''Guaruba''. Its plumage is most ...

(''Guaruba guarouba''), while the leaves of ''Byrsonima'' are food for some of the curious

American moth-butterflies Hedylidae, the "American moth-butterflies", is a family of insects in the order Lepidoptera, representing the superfamily Hedyloidea. They have traditionally been viewed as an extant sister group of the butterfly superfamily Papilionoidea. In ...

(Hedylidae). Plantings of ''B. crassifolia'' in the dry savannas of Oaxaca may even be suitable as substitute habitat for the

Tehuantepec jackrabbit The Tehuantepec jackrabbit (''Lepus flavigularis'') is a jackrabbit endemic to Mexico. Description It is easily distinguished from other species by two black stripes that run from the base of the ears to the nape, and by its white flanks. Its un ...

(''Lepus flavigularis''), an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

presently only found in three small relict populations. '' Maricao'' (''B. spicata'') is the namesake tree and floral emblem of

Maricao, Puerto Rico Maricao () is a Maricao barrio-pueblo, town and the second-least populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality of Puerto Rico; it is located at the western edge of the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico, Cordillera Central. It is a small town ...

, and figured on the coat of arms of this city.

Selected species

* ''

Byrsonima basiloba ''Byrsonima basiloba'' is a species of plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; ...

A.Juss. Adrien-Henri de Jussieu (23 December 1797 – 29 June 1853) was a French botanist. Born in Paris as the son of botanist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1824 with a treatise of the plant family Euph ...

* '' Byrsonima coccolobifolia'' (

Spreng. Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel (3 August 1766 – 15 March 1833) was a German botanist and physician who published an influential multivolume history of medicine, ''Versuch einer pragmatischen Geschichte der Arzneikunde'' (1792–99 in four vo ...

) Kunth * ''

Byrsonima coriacea ''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to '' Byrsonima coccolobi ...

'' ( L.) Kunth * ''

Byrsonima crassa ''Byrsonima crassa'' is a species of plant in the Malpighiaceae Malpighiaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. It comprises about 73 genera and 1315 species, all of which are native to the tropics and subtropics. Abo ...

Nied. Franz Josef Niedenzu (29 November 1857 – 30 September 1937) was a German botanist born in Köppernig. He is remembered for his work with the botanical family Malpighiaceae. For most of his career he was a professor and subsequently rector a ...

* '' Byrsonima crassifolia'' (L.) Kunth – nance, savanna serrette, golden spoon, ''murici, muruci'' (Brazil), ''nanche'' (Mexico) * ''

Byrsonima crispa ''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to '' Byrsonima coccolobi ...

* ''

Byrsonima cydonaefolia ''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to '' Byrsonima coccolobi ...

* '' Byrsonima horneana'' Britton & Small ( Puerto Rico) * ''

Byrsonima intermedia ''Byrsonima intermedia'' is a species of plant in the Malpighiaceae family. It is found in Brazil and Paraguay. References External links * * intermedia Intermedia is an art theory term coined in the mid-1960s by Fluxus artist Dic ...

* '' Byrsonima laxiflora'' Griseb. * ''

Byrsonima laevigata ''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to '' Byrsonima coccolo ...

'' (Poir.) DC. * ''

'' (Mill.) DC. – locustberry, clam cherry, gooseberry * '' Byrsonima myricifolia'' Griseb. * '' Byrsonima ophiticola'' Small ex Britton (Puerto Rico) * ''

Byrsonima sericea ''Byrsonima sericea'' is a species of semi-deciduous tree native to Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Guyana, and French Guiana. Description The tree is medium-sized and usually grows 6–18 meters tall. Flowers are tall orange plumes which develop into sm ...

'' A.Juss. * ''

Byrsonima spicata ''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family (biology), family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to ''Brs ...

'' (Cav.) DC. – ''maricao'' * '' Byrsonima subterranea'' Brade et

Markgr. Friedrich Markgraf (1 February 1897 in Berlin-Friedenau – 8 March 1987 in Zurich) was a German botanist. Life and work After secondary school, Markgraf studied biology at the Friedrich Wilhelm University Berlin. In 1922 he was awarded a ...

* ''

Byrsonima tuberosa ''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to '' Byrsonima coccolobif ...

'' * ''

Byrsonima variabilis ''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to '' Byrsonima coccolobif ...

'' A.Juss. * ''

Byrsonima verbascifolia ''Byrsonima'' is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries (which also may refer specifically to '' Byrsonima coccolobif ...

'' ( L.) Rich. ex Juss.

References

External links

Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae - description, taxonomy, phylogeny, and nomenclature

Malpighiaceae genera {{Malpighiaceae-stub