Terminalia buceras

{{Short description|Species of tree in Combretaceae family}} {{Speciesbox |image = Starr 080530-4638 Bucida buceras.jpg |genus = Terminalia |species = buceras |authority = (L.) C.Wright |synonyms = *''Buceras bucida'' {{small|Crantz}} *''Bucida buceras'' {{small|L.}} *''Bucida ophiticola'' {{small|Bisse}} *''Bucida palustris'' {{small|Borhidi & O.Muñiz}} *''Bucida subinermis'' {{small|Bisse}} *''Myrobalanus buceras'' {{small|(L.) Kuntze}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name="powo">{{cite web |title=Terminalia buceras (L.) C.Wright |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:171012-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=17 April 2021}}</ref> }} thumb|right|''Bucida buceras'' leaves

'''''Terminalia buceras''''' is a tree in the Combretaceae family. It is known by a variety of names in English, including '''bullet tree''', '''black olive tree''', '''gregorywood''' (or '''gregory wood'''), '''Antigua whitewood''', and '''oxhorn bucida'''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Grandtner|first=Miroslav M.|title=Elsevier's Dictionary of Trees: Volume 1|year=2005|publisher=Elsevier|location=Amsterdam|isbn=0444517847|page=121}}</ref> It is native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Species Information: Bucida buceras|url=http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/products/afdbases/af/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=18011|work=AgroForestryTree Database|publisher=International Center for Research in Agroforestry|accessdate=19 May 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130519084315/http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/products/afdbases/af/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=18011|archivedate=19 May 2013}}</ref> It is commonly found in coastal swamps and wet inland forests in low elevations.<ref name="Harris2009">{{cite book|last1=Harris|first1=Kate|title=Trees of Belize|date=2009|publisher=Bay Cedar Publishing|location=Belize|isbn=9780992758202|pages=110}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Bucida+buceras|title=Bucida buceras - Useful Tropical Plants|website=tropical.theferns.info|access-date=2019-09-09}}</ref>

==Distribution== The species is native to the Neotropical realm. Countries and regions in which it grows are: Colombia; Panama; Costa Rica; Venezuelan Antilles; Nicaragua; Windward Islands; Honduras; Guatemala; Mexico (Southeast, Southwest, Gulf, Central); Leeward Islands; Belize; Hispaniola (Dominican Republic, Haiti); Jamaica; Puerto Rico; Cuba; Turks-Caicos Islands; Bahamas. It is regarded as introduced in Florida and Trinidad and Tobago.<ref name="powo"/>

==Growth== To grow it prefers high sunlight and rich, moist, well drained soil. It is highly tolerant to salt, insects, fungus, wind, and air pollution.<ref name="Harris2009"/><ref name=":0" /> Its roots are able to dig up paving stones and damage foundations.<ref name=":0" />

==Wood== The wood of the bullet tree is extremely hard and durable. Being highly resistant to insects and fungi, it is sometimes used for house posts or bridge timbers. The bark may be used for tanning leather due to its tannin content.<ref name="Harris2009" /><ref name=":0" /> It is also often used as an ornamental/shade tree.<ref name=":0" />

The wood was also used for ship construction during the Age of Sail. The frame of {{ship||Trelawney Planter|1790 ship|2}}, built in Jamaica in 1790, was constructed of bullet tree wood.<ref>''Lloyd's Register'' [https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004281252?urlappend=%3Bseq=322%3Bownerid=13510798900813140-346 (1792), Seq.No.T189.]</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

buceras Category:Trees of Northern America Category:Trees of South America