Bursera, named after the Danishbotanist Joachim Burser (1583-1639), is a genus with about 100 described species of flowering shrubs and trees varying in size up to 25m (82ft) high. They are native (often for many species endemic) to the Americas, from the southern United States south through to northern Argentina, in tropical and warm temperate forest habitats.
A number of species from tropical Asia were once included in this genus, but are now treated in the genus Protium.