Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg.

Indio desnudo

(Burseraceae)

Espinoza, R., Guadamuz, A., Perez, D., Chavarría, F. and Masís, A. 1998. Bursera simaruba (Burseraceae) Species Page, June 12, 1998. Species Home Pages, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr

I. Identification:

Tree from 15-20 m tall in Guanacaste, but in other areas of the country it can reach up to 30 m.

Flower:

Greenish-yellow flowers.

Fruit:

Small drupe shaped fruit, from 0.8-1. cm in diameter. They are red when mature.

 

Inmature and mature fruits

 

   

Leaves:

Imparipinnate alternate leaves. Every leaf has from 7-11 leaflets.

Bark and wood:

The bark is reddish-green and exfoliates (peels) in thin sheets.

Whole plant architecture:

View of the crown
 

 

Similar species:

Verification:

II.Geographic distribution:

International:

Mexico to South America.

In Costa Rica:

In the Area de Conservación Guanacaste:

In habitats of lowland semideciduous forests.

 Map of macro-habitats of the ACG

III. Natural History:

It is dispersed by birds. They are used as fence-posts.

IV. How to find:

Along the sides of roads in the Santa Rosa, El Hacha, and Centeno sectors.

Acknowledgements.

This project was carried out by the Area de Conservación Guanacaste/CR, with help from INBio/CR, ICBG from the Foggarty center, NIH/USA and NSF/USA.

Thanks to Kate Beattie and Alexandra Kern for helping with the image management and the translation of this species page.

Literature cited: