Buckthorn Bully,
Sideroxylon lycoiodesL., is among the first species I identified on my on after
taking a dendrology class, although the accepted name at the time was
buckthorn bumelia, Bumelia lycoiodes (L.) Pers., but is since changed back Despite being called buckthorns this genus is not in the buckthorn
family, Rhamnaceae, but instead it is in the sapodilla family, Sapotaceae, which is nearly all tropical with this being the only genus represented here.Buckthorn bully is nondescript enough to
sometimes be confusing, especially when in flower due to the definitive keys being so
minute although it is the only species expected in north Alabama.The thing I noticed when I first saw one was that is was something different besides upon closer inspection finding out that it has
thorns and milky sap after pinching off a leaf to check for such obscure identification keys where about the only other trees around here like that are mulberries, Morus L., and Osage-orange, Maclura Nutt. I have seen it infrequently in habitats that include the understory on typically dry rocky mountain slopes, river banks, and bottomland pastures, but in each case the bedrock was limestone. Gum bumelia, B. lanuginosa (Michx.) Pers., now accepted as S. lanuginosum Michx., is a similar species that has an Alabama state champion in Blount County where it is 42 feet tall, has a circumference of 45 inches, and an average limb spread of 33 feet.
