Breakbill

Scientific name: Sideroxylon obovatum

POWO Status: Shrub or Tree

IUCN Red List threat level: Least Concern

GPS Location: 17° 42′ 55.20″ N, 64° 49′ 45.51″ W

20250726
20250726
20250802

Observations:

Phenological Markers – Sideroxylon obovatum (False Mastic / Bullwood)

Family: Sapotaceae
Common Names: False Mastic, Bullwood, Wild Mastic (not to be confused with Sideroxylon foetidissimum)
Habitat: Native to the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and parts of the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Found in dry to moist forests, often on limestone ridges or coastal hillsides.

Phenological Markers:

  • Flowering Period:
    Typically flowers from late spring to early summer (May to July), often after new leaf flush. Flowers are small, greenish-white, and occur in short clusters in leaf axils.
  • Fruiting Period:
    Fruits develop and mature from late summer through early winter (September to December). The fruit is a small, round black or purple drupe with a single seed.
  • Leaf Fall:
    Evergreen to semi-evergreen. May shed some leaves during prolonged dry periods (February to April) but generally maintains foliage year-round in moist conditions.
  • Budding Period:
    New leaves and buds emerge in early spring (March to May), often in anticipation of flowering.

Key Features:

  • Leaves: Simple, alternate, obovate to elliptic, leathery, and glossy green with slightly lighter undersides. New leaves may be reddish.
  • Flowers: Small, inconspicuous, cream to pale green, fragrant, and pollinated by small insects.
  • Fruits: Round, fleshy drupes (1–2 cm), darkening to black or purple when ripe; consumed by birds and small mammals.

Additional Notes:

  • Sideroxylon obovatum is a native hardwood valuable for its dense, strong timber, though not commonly harvested due to slow growth.
  • The tree plays an important role in dry forest ecosystems and supports local wildlife through its fruit.
  • It is sometimes confused with Sideroxylon foetidissimum (also called False Mastic), but S. obovatum is typically smaller, with less pungent foliage and a more shrub-like habit when young.
Scroll to Top