Cryptocarya alba
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| Cryptocarya alba | ||||||||||||||
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| Cryptocarya alba |
Cryptocarya alba (Molina) Looser (Peumo) is an evergreen tree that grows in Chile from 33 to 40° lat. S. It can live as in wet and as in dry conditions. Its distribution can reach up to 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level. It measures up to 20 meters (65 ft) height and 1 meter diameter. Cracked and gray bark .
Leaves are perennial, aromatic, simple, alternate and opposite, 2,5 to 8.5 cm long and 1 to 4 wide; aovate and entire lobe, a little undulate. The trunk is straight and hardly twisted; brown-grayish cork cambium, relatively smooth, with little cracks and detachable scales when old. Central branches thick and ascending; terminal twigs thin and hanging. The flowers are in dense bunches, greenish yellow and 3 to 4 mm long; hermaphrodite, they have six fleshy uneven and hairy petals. It produces edible fruits red-colored, called "peumos", which contain inside big and heavy seeds and easy to germinate.
[edit] Cultivation and uses
It has very scented leaves. The fruit is a red berry and is edible. It blooms from November to January (southern hemisphere). The wood is very hard and resistant to moisture. The bark is used for tanning leather and dying orange color. It is appreciated as ornamental and fruit-producing tree. Planted trees in northern California have done very well. Rarely seen in Spain, it has adapted perfectly in that country.
[edit] References
- Donoso, C. 2005. Árboles nativos de Chile. Guía de reconocimiento. Edición 4. Marisa Cuneo Ediciones, Valdivia, Chile. 136p.
- Hoffman, Adriana. 1998. Flora Silvestre de Chile, Zona Central. Edición 4. Fundación Claudio Gay, Santiago. 254p.
- Rodríguez, R. y M. Quezada. 2001. Laurales. En C. Marticorena y R. Rodríguez [eds.], Flora de Chile Vol. 2, pp 10-19. Universidad de Concepción, Concepción.
