Luma apiculata
Luma apiculata forest with
The Luma apiculata is a species of plant in the myrtle family ( Myrtaceae ). It is native to Chile and Argentina, where it is known as many other species of Myrtaceae " arrayán " family.
- 5.1 Notes and references
Description
Appearance and leaf
Luma apiculata grow as evergreen tree (up to shrub ), achieved the stature heights of up to 25 meters and trunk diameter of up to 60 centimeters. The upper orange ( cinnamon ) bark peels off easily and the whitish, smooth bark becomes visible. The bark of the branches is hairy reddish fluffy.
The fragrant, against constantly arranged leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petiole is relatively short with a length of 1 to 2 mm. The simple leaf blade is at a length of 1 to 2.5 inches and a width of 0.5 to 2 inches elliptical with finely sharpened upper end (hence the epithet apiculata ). The median nerve and the leaf edge are usually hairy fluffy.
Flower, fruit and seeds
The flowering period extends into South America from January to February. In the leaf axils are on a 7 to 12 mm long inflorescence stem together three to five flowers. The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and cruciform double perianth. The four sepals are fused. The four free petals are white and 6-9 mm long. The 170 to 300 stamens are 5-7 mm long. The 6-7 mm long style ends in a simple scar.
The edible, fleshy berry with a diameter of up to 1 cm almost spherical, turns black when ripe purple and contains 1 to 16 seeds. The seed is 3-6 mm long.
Occurrence
Luma apiculata is native to southern South America in Chile and Argentina. It comes in Chile in the regions V to XI of Valparaíso to Aysen at altitudes up to 700 meters in front. In Argentina, the distribution area is located in the regions of Chubut, Neuquén and Río Negro.
The locations are usually wet, but never with waterlogging. The most likely reasons Luma apiculata in evergreen forests, or associated with Hualo - southern beech ( Nothofagus glauca ), rauli - southern beech ( Nothofagus alpina ) and coihue southern beech ( Nothofagus dombeyi ), Patagonian cypress = Alerce ( Fitzroya cupressoides ) and Chile cedar ( Austrocedrus chilensis ) before.
Taxonomy
The first description was in 1828 under the name ( basionym ) Eugenia apiculata by the Swiss botanist Augustin de Candolle in - Pyrame Prodromus systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis, volume 3, page 276 The German botanist Carl burret Established 1941 in note sheet of the Botanical Garden and Museum to Berlin -Dahlem, Volume 15 ( 3), p 523 this species under the name Luma apiculata in the genus Luma. The specific epithet apiculata refers to the shape of the leaves. Other synonyms for Luma apiculata ( DC.) burret are Eugenia luma O.Berg and Myrceugenia apiculata ( DC.) Nied ..
Use
The arrayán was used by the Mapuche for medical purposes.
The very hard and resistant wood is processed, for example for tool handles, or yields good firewood.
Luma apiculata is used as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens and can be shaped to cut hedges or as a bonsai.