Bursera simaruba
(L.) Sarg. · speciesAt a glance
Sources15 archives
Databases and archives Bursera simaruba's data was compiled from.
WikipediaWikimedia Foundation8 languages↗
BioWikiNetmultilingual Wikipediamultilingual↗
GBIFGlobal Biodiversity Information Facility101 739 records↗
OBISOcean Biodiversity Information System20 records↗
ENAEuropean Nucleotide Archive · EMBL-EBI36 eDNA detections↗
BOLD SystemsCentre for Biodiversity Genomics45 specimens↗
NCBIUS National Library of Medicinesequences↗
dukesphytochemcompounds
LOTUSNatural Products (Wikidata)compounds↗
NPASSNat. Product Activity & Species Sourcecompounds↗
GRIN TaxonomyUSDA-ARSdistribution & uses↗
Open Tree of LifeOpenTreephylogeny backbone↗
CCDBChromosome Counts DB · Tel Aviv U.genome & karyotype↗
PloiDBPloidy Databasegenome & karyotype
WikidataWikimedia Foundationstructured facts↗Every layer below draws on the sources above — open one to explore it, or use ← → to move between tabs.
Bursera simaruba, commonly known as gumbo-limbo, copperwood, chaca, West Indian birch, naked Indian, and turpentine tree, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas from South Florida to Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil, Jinotega, and Venezuela. Bursera simaruba is prevalent in the Petenes mangroves ecoregion of the Yucatán, where it is a subdominant plant species to mangroves.World Wildlife Fund. eds. Mark McGinley, C.Michael Hogan & C. Cleveland. 2010. Petenes mangroves. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington, D.C. Specimens may be found along the western coast of Florida.
No narrative description available for this taxon yet.
Size & morphology12
Life cycle & reproduction24
Diet & foraging1
Habitat & environment27
Physiology & chemistry26
Uses & economy11
Other traits8
Compounds documented for Bursera simaruba across natural-product and food-composition databases — not just the ~150 nutrients on a classic label ("nutritional dark matter").
Compound class profile5 classes
Documented compounds59 total
| Compound | Class | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| (+)-Boldine | present | NPASS | |
| (+)-Isodomesticine | present | NPASS | |
| (-)-Isopulegol | present | NPASS | |
| (-)-Linalool | present | NPASS | |
| (2R)-2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-5-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-oxepin-7-one | present | NPASS | |
| (2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-2-(3-hydroxy-5-methoxyphenoxy)-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | present | LOTUS | |
| (3S,4S)-4-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-3-[(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)methyl]oxolan-2-one | present | LOTUS | |
| (3~{S},4~{S})-4-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-3-[(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methyl]oxolan-2-one | present | LOTUS | |
| (5aR,8aS,9R)-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-5a,6,8a,9-tetrahydro-5H-[2]benzofuro[6,5-f][1,3]benzodioxol-8-one | present | LOTUS | |
| (5S,5aS,8aR)-5-(1,3-benzodioxol-4-yl)-5a,8,8a,9-tetrahydro-5H-[2]benzofuro[5,6-f][1,3]benzodioxol-6-one | present | LOTUS |
A DNA barcode is a short, standardised stretch of genes that works like a fingerprint — enough to tell one species from another. Below is the molecular trace Bursera simaruba has left across the world's sequence archives.
At a glance
★ the standard DNA barcode for this group — the short region actually read to tell this species apart. The rest are extra genes sequenced along the way.
The complete instruction manual Bursera simaruba carries — its genome. We read it from three angles — how big it is, how the DNA is packed into chromosomes, and how completely it has been sequenced — and explain how to read each value as you go.
Chromosomes & ploidyhow the DNA is packaged
2n is the full chromosome count in a normal body cell; n is a gamete (egg or sperm), which carries half. Ploidy is how many complete chromosome sets each cell holds — 2× (diploid) is typical for animals, while higher levels (polyploidy) are common in plants. Click any value below to see the underlying records and sources.
n 121×CCDB · book-ipcn73-74
diploid inferred1×PloiDB · family-scale
How far back this lineage goes — and how we know. Everything here is measured in Ma, short for “mega-annum”: millions of years ago. The chart reads left to right like a calendar of the Earth, from the deep past on the left to today at the right edgetop to bottom like a core drilled through the Earth, from the deep past at the top down to today at the bottom.
At a glance
When this lineage existed
How to read this: the coloured strip along the bottomdown the left is the geological calendar — the standard epochs (Pliocene, Pleistocene…) every museum uses, shown so you can see which chapter of Earth's history this lineage lived in. This lineage is a young one, so the strip is zoomed in to epochs — the finer subdivisions inside a period. The orange marker is the DNA clock: DNA accumulates mutations at a roughly steady rate, so comparing this species' DNA with its relatives estimates when the lineage split off — independently of any fossil.
Record type101 759 records
Origin
Range
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Museum / Voucheredphysical evidence
Backed by a physical specimen — a herbarium sheet, sample or voucher held in a collection. “Vouchered” means supported by material evidence, not just an observation.
Cultivated / Captivenot free-living
A living individual in a botanical garden, zoo or nursery — cultivated or kept, not free-living.
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Holding institutions79 of 154 geolocated
Institutions and collections holding physical, vouchered specimens of this species — click a row to fly to it on the map.
| Institution | Specimens |
|---|---|
| Durango, MX | 1 059 |
| Mexico City, MX | 716 |
| Saint Louis, US | 633 |
| Mexico City, MX | 285 |
| Bronx, US | 267 |
| Mérida, MX | 236 |
| Tapachula, MX | 201 |
| Paris, FR | 105 |
| National Biodiversity Institute, Costa Ricalocation not on record | 97 |
| Empresas Públicas de Medellín E.S.P. (EPM)location not on record | 97 |
| Tampa, US | 67 |
| Antiguo Cuscatlán, SV | 61 |
| Chapingo, MX | 57 |
| Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (MNCR)location not on record | 56 |
| Austin, US | 56 |
| Cambridge, US | 53 |
| Kew, GB | 50 |
| Mexico City, MX | 49 |
| University of Stellenboschlocation not on record | 46 |
| Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH)location not on record | 46 |
| Tuxtla Gutiérrez, MX | 42 |
| Berlin, DE | 42 |
| Sociedad para el Estudio de los Recursos Bióticos de Oaxaca, A. C.location not on record | 41 |
| Miami, US | 39 |
| San Francisco de Campeche, MX | 39 |
| San Francisco, US | 39 |
| Mérida, MX | 35 |
| Tuxtla Gutiérrez, MX | 34 |
| MEXUlocation not on record | 34 |
| Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA)location not on record | 31 |
| Fundación Desarrollo y Ambiente FUNDAlocation not on record | 29 |
| Tempe, US | 28 |
| Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL)location not on record | 24 |
| Juriquilla, MX | 23 |
| Riverside, US | 23 |
| Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabascolocation not on record | 23 |
| Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Región Xalapalocation not on record | 23 |
| Chicago, US | 22 |
| San Jose State University, Museum of Birds and Mammalslocation not on record | 21 |
| ASUlocation not on record | 19 |
| León, NI | 19 |
| Culiacán, MX | 18 |
| Chongqing Museumlocation not on record | 18 |
| Austin, US | 18 |
| Jardín Botánico de Cartagena "Guillermo Piñeres" (JBC)location not on record | 17 |
| Chapel Hill, US | 13 |
| St. Augustine, TT | 12 |
| Autlán de Navarro, MX | 12 |
| Altos de Pipe, VE | 12 |
| Guatemala City, GT | 11 |
| Giardini Botanici Hanburylocation not on record | 10 |
| San José, CR | 10 |
| Zapopan, MX | 10 |
| South Kensington, GB | 9 |
| Florida Museum of Natural History- Zoology, Paleontology & Paleobotanylocation not on record | 9 |
| MAlocation not on record | 8 |
| Puebla, MX | 7 |
| Phoenix, US | 7 |
| Bangkok, TH | 6 |
| Area de Conservacion Guanacastelocation not on record | 6 |
| Burlington, US | 5 |
| Wuzhou, CN | 5 |
| BMlocation not on record | 5 |
| Montecillo, Texcoco, MX | 5 |
| Uniwersytet Jagiellońskilocation not on record | 5 |
| Guasave, MX | 5 |
| CASlocation not on record | 5 |
| Corporación Autónoma Regional Para la Defensa de la Meseta de Bucaramanga (CDMB)location not on record | 4 |
| HUAlocation not on record | 4 |
| Edinburgh, GB | 4 |
| Universidad de El Salvadorlocation not on record | 4 |
| IAvHlocation not on record | 4 |
| San Luis Potosí, MX | 4 |
| Ciudad de México, MX | 4 |
| EL PASO, US | 4 |
| Toronto, CA | 3 |
| Ciudad de México, MX | 3 |
| INBIOlocation not on record | 3 |
| Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia (UPTC)location not on record | 3 |
| IANIGLAlocation not on record | 3 |
| Madison, US | 3 |
| Clemson, US | 3 |
| Instituto de Ecología Aplicada, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipaslocation not on record | 3 |
| Centro Cultural Santo Domingolocation not on record | 2 |
| Canadian Department of Agriculturelocation not on record | 2 |
| Provincia di Livornolocation not on record | 2 |
| Fort Worth, US | 2 |
| Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologialocation not on record | 2 |
| Managua, NI | 2 |
| Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Moreloslocation not on record | 2 |
| OTSlocation not on record | 2 |
| Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas - SINCHIlocation not on record | 2 |
| Ciudad de México, MX | 2 |
| Dekalb, US | 2 |
| Anton de Kom University of Surinamelocation not on record | 2 |
| BAYLUlocation not on record | 2 |
| Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicachlocation not on record | 2 |
| Millersville, US | 2 |
| HEMlocation not on record | 2 |
| Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduraslocation not on record | 2 |
| Museum of Zoologylocation not on record | 2 |
| Durham, US | 2 |
| INIREBlocation not on record | 2 |
| Jackson, US | 2 |
| Hudson, US | 2 |
| Mississippi State, US | 2 |
| Universidad de Córdoba (UniCórdoba)location not on record | 2 |
| Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldilocation not on record | 2 |
| DOI/NPS, Mississippi National River & Recreation Arealocation not on record | 1 |
| College of the Atlantic, Museumlocation not on record | 1 |
| COLlocation not on record | 1 |
| Montréal, CA | 1 |
| Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó (UTCH)location not on record | 1 |
| Universidad de La Salle (La Salle)location not on record | 1 |
| Universidad de los Andes (UniAndes)location not on record | 1 |
| Frankfurt am Main | 1 |
| Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, (CSIC-UPF)location not on record | 1 |
| Instituto de invertigación de recursos biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH)location not on record | 1 |
| Universidad del Tolima (UT)location not on record | 1 |
| UEMAlocation not on record | 1 |
| University of Hamburglocation not on record | 1 |
| Guatemala, GT | 1 |
| Universidad Autonoma de Yucatanlocation not on record | 1 |
| Mexico City, MX | 1 |
| Universidad Católica de Oriente (UCO)location not on record | 1 |
| Centro de Investigaciones Forestales del Trópico Húmedo, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuariaslocation not on record | 1 |
| MeiseBGlocation not on record | 1 |
| UADYlocation not on record | 1 |
| Jardín Botánico Nacional Dr. Rafael M. Moscosolocation not on record | 1 |
| La Paz, MX | 1 |
| Moscow, US | 1 |
| Lubbock, US | 1 |
| Chicago, US | 1 |
| Zacatecas, MX | 1 |
| Tuscaloosa, US | 1 |
| US | 1 |
| Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Ministry of Agriculturelocation not on record | 1 |
| Davis, US | 1 |
| UNESP-FCAlocation not on record | 1 |
| Salamanca, ES | 1 |
| Tlalnepantla, MX | 1 |
| McWane Science Centerlocation not on record | 1 |
| Bloomington, US | 1 |
| St. Paul, US | 1 |
| Claremont, US | 1 |
| Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexicolocation not on record | 1 |
| GAlocation not on record | 1 |
| Knox Collegelocation not on record | 1 |
| Flagstaff, US | 1 |
| NO DISPONIBLElocation not on record | 1 |
| Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas (UDistrital)location not on record | 1 |
| Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgolocation not on record | 1 |
| Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ)location not on record | 1 |
| DOI/NPS, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Sitelocation not on record | 1 |
Cultivated / Captivenot free-living
A living individual in a botanical garden, zoo or nursery — cultivated or kept, not free-living.
Where the DNA of Bursera simaruba was picked up in samples of water, soil or air — nobody saw the organism, only its DNA left behind. A trace is a clue that the species was near, not a confirmed sighting.
Signal
Where its DNA was found
How strong is each trace?
Modelled climatemodelled
How to read this: each dot is one detection of this species' DNA in an environmental sample. The confidence meter weighs how many independent studies and places back up the signal — one detection in one study is a hint; many across several studies is solid. Records dated before 2008 (when eDNA methods began) are treated as likely mislabeled and left off the map.