| Laureliopsis philippiana | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Laurales |
| Family: | Atherospermataceae |
| Genus: | Laureliopsis |
| Species: | Laureliopsis philippiana |
| Binomial name | |
| Laureliopsis philippiana (Looser) R.Schodde |
|
Laureliopsis philippiana , known as Tepa is a species of plant endemic to Chile and Argentina (35 to 45°S). In Chile it is found from Maule to Aysen. It grows on humid and deep soils.
Contents |
It is an evergreen tree up to 30 m (100 ft) tall and 1.4 m (55 in) in diameter, thin bark, stinky wood, this species is very similar to Bay Laurel. The leaves are odorous, oblong, attenuate at the base, petioles may be hairy or not about 5-8 mm long. The leaves are 4.9 long and 1.5-4 cm wide, glossy, leathery, the midrib with yellow hairs, the edges are heavily toothed in the two upper thirds, every tooth ends in a mucro. The flowers are hermaphrodite or unixesual, they are small about 5-6 mm long, reddish-green, arranged in racemes, the peduncles are hairy about 2-3 mm long, flowers with bell-shaped perianth split in 7-9 petals more or less equal, hairy outside, 4 stamens and 8-20 staminodes, several carpels, the style is feathery with terminal stigma. The fruit is an achene almost oval, crowned by the perianth, about 1-1.3 cm long, formed by the perigonium that wraps several carpels, hairy, dark brown, spindle-shaped seeds, aovate body, about 0.8-1.2 cm long, with the style covered by hairs about 5-6 mm long that esparcen horizontally or downdwards.
The wood is used in construction, however it rots when exposed to outdoors moisture. It has been planted in Spain[1].
Laureliopsis is derived from Laurel. Phillippiana in honor of Rodolfo Armando Philippi, German-Chilean naturalist.