Spiny black olive, dwarf geometry tree

Bucida molinetii (M. Gómez) Alwan & Stace; B. spinosa Jennings

Trees or shrubs to 8 m; branches with slender thorns. Leaves persistent; petiole 1–3 mm; blade obovate to narrowly obovate, 0.4–2.8(–3.5) × 0.2–1(–1.7) cm, base acute to cuneate, apex obtuse to retuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent abaxially, midvein glabrous or sparsely pubescent, without nectar glands near base, glabrous adaxially, midvein glabrous or very sparsely pubescent, at least basally, with 1–4 elongate, multicellular, and glandular hairs on adaxial surface of petiole; domatia absent. Spikes 1–4 cm, with few flowers clustered in distal 0.2–1 cm. Flowers 5-merous, bisexual; free portion of hypanthium 1–1.5 mm; sepals 0.5 mm; stamens 3–4 mm; style 2.5–3 mm. Drupes green to brown, radially symmetrical in cross section, ovoid, 3–6 × 2–3.5 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; with 5 poorly developed and rounded lobes; hypanthium and calyx deciduous in age.

Flowering late winter–summer. Low hammocks, pineland margins; 0–10 m; Fla.; s Mexico (Quintana Roo); West Indies (Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands); Central America (Belize).

In the flora area, Terminalia molinetii is rare and known only from Miami-Dade County. The species is often used as an ornamental shrub or small tree due to its graceful habit, especially in coastal regions, as are hybrids with T. buceras.