Myrceugenia leptospermoides

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Myrceugenia leptospermoides

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Myrceugenia
Species:	M. leptospermoides
Binomial name
*Myrceugenia leptospermoides* (DC) Kausel.

Myrceugenia leptospermoides is a species of small evergreen tree or large shrub in the genus Myrceugenia of the family Myrtaceae. It is commonly known as mocollo, murtilla del malo or chequen. It is endemic to central Chile where it is found in riverine habitats in the coastal mountain range at altitudes below 300 metres (980 ft).^[1]

Description

Myrceugenia leptospermoides grows to a height of about 3 m (10 ft). The bark is pale greyish-brown and the small leaves are in opposite pairs. The twigs are densely pubescent when they first grow but soon lose their hairs. The leaves are up to 15 mm (1 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) broad, oblong or linear with bluntly-pointed tips, and with entire margins. They are greyish-green above and yellowish-green below, with a fairly prominent midrib on the underside. The flowers, which grow in the axils of the leaves, are solitary and have short stems. The calyx lobes are sometimes hairy and the six petals are white. In the centre of the flower there is a boss of sixty to ninety stamens and a single style. The fruit is a globular berry, ripening to red and finally purple, and about 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter.^[1] The flowering period is February to March and the fruits ripen in July and August.^[1]

Distribution and habitat

Myrceugenia leptospermoides is endemic to the coastal area of Chile.^[2] It is found from Ñuble Region southwards to Cautín Province. Its typical habitat is in wet or misty locations and it is often found growing with other undergrowth shrubs, near rivers and lakes or on damp forested slopes. It occurs at altitudes up to about 300 metres (980 ft). It is an uncommon species and its conservation status is considered to be "endangered".^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Myrceugenia leptospermoides". Enciclopedia de la Flora Chilena (in Spanish). Retrieved 2015-05-27.
^ ^a ^b Hechenleitner V., P., M. F. Gardner, P. I. Thomas, C. Echeverría, B. Escobar, P. Brownless & C. M. A. 2005. Plantas Amenazadas del Centro-Sur de Chile. Pl. Amenaz. C.-S. Chile 187 pp.

Taxon identifiers
Myrceugenia leptospermoides	Wikidata: Q15374125 Wikispecies: Myrceugenia leptospermoides BOLD: 553947 GBIF: 3185779 iNaturalist: 960989 IPNI: 165453-2 NCBI: 375245 Open Tree of Life: 376124 Plant List: kew-130926 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:165453-2 Tropicos: 22102235 WFO: wfo-0000247125
Eugenia leptospermoides	Wikidata: Q39281523 CoL: 3C57D IPNI: 594886-1 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:594886-1 Tropicos: 22103596 WFO: wfo-0000957828

Categories:

Hidden categories: