Schinus molle

Peruvian pepper tree ( Schinus molle ), branch with fruit

The Peruvian pepper tree ( Schinus molle ) belongs to the family Anacardiaceae ( Anacardiaceae ). The tree reaches a height at the age to 15 meters. It has elegant, droopy branches and decorative pink fruit.

Description

The Peruvian pepper tree is an evergreen tree, reaching a height of from four to 15 meters. At the overhanging branches sit the alternate pinnate leaves. They smell aromatic when they are rubbed. The entire sheet is 25 cm long and is composed of 15 to 27 leaves. The single leaflet is linear to lanceolate, 1.5 to 2.7 cm long and 0.5 to 0.8 cm wide. The leaf stem is narrow winged.

The small, yellowish-white flowers are grouped together in conical panicles. From them pink drupes develop with a diameter of 0.5 to 0.6 cm.

Dissemination

The Peruvian pepper tree native to South and Central America, where he is resident of Mexico in the north to Chile and Argentina in the south. It prefers semi-arid soils and in the Mediterranean ( Morocco) as well as naturalized in the southern United States, South Africa and Australia.

Use

The are slightly flavored pepper fruits, such as that of the Brazilian pepper tree ( Schinus terebinthifolia ), as " pink pepper " in the trade. The tree is occasionally planted as an ornamental tree. In South America, other uses are known: from the fruit of a slightly alcoholic drink is prepared, leaves and resin are used for medical purposes and occasionally a yellow dye is obtained from the tree.

Botanical history

The Peruvian pepper tree is already named by Johann Bauhin " Molle " Caspar ileocecal he called " Lentiscus Peruanus " - referring to the mastic tree ( Pistacia lentiscus ). The first description of Carl Linnaeus as molle Schinus is from 1753. Molle The specific epithet could be derived from a South American common name or originate from Spanish ( mollear, " soft will ", referring to the chewed resin).