Juglans australis

Nogal austral, Nogal Crillio
Conservation status

Near Threatened  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Juglandaceae
Subfamily: Juglandoideae
Tribe: Juglandeae
Subtribe: Juglandinae
Genus: Juglans
Section: Rhysocaryon
Species: J. australis
Binomial name
Juglans australis
Gris.

Juglans australis (the Nogal Criollo[1]) is a species of plant in the Juglandaceae family. This large, fast-growing tree can grow to 20 m tall at altitudes of 0.5—1.5 km in the "Yungas" or Montane Cloud Forest of Argentina (including the provinces of Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy) and in Bolivia. It is more frost resistant than the Persian Walnut (J. regia). It is threatened by habitat loss.

J. australis is a spreading deciduous tree, up to 25 m. wide which produces first quality lumber, with a straight trunk up to 6 m. tall and up to 5 dm. in diameter. The wood is dense (640 kg/m3), hard, and strong. Upon drying, the radial shrinkage is 2.2%, the tangential 4.7%.[2] The pinnately compound leaves are borne alternately, and bear up to fifteen oval-lanceolate finely serrate leaflets.

The immature fruits are pickled whole for human consumption. The mature nuts are also eaten.

Like most walnuts, J. australis produces juglone, an allelopathic substance which decreases competition from other plants growing nearby. The concentrated extract of the husk is also used as a vermifuge.

Footnotes

  1. Pablo Schliserman, Sergio Ovruski, Carolina Colin, Allen Norrbom & Martin Aluja: "First Report of Juglans Australis (Juglandaceae) as a Natural Host Plant for Anastrepha schultzi (Diptera:Tephritidae) with Notes on Probable Parasitism by Doryctobracon areikatys, D. brasiliensis, Opius bellus (Braconidae) and Aganaspis pelleranoi (Figitidae)" the Florida Entomologist 87(4)597-9 (Dec. 2004). The Florida Entomoloical Society, Lutz, FL (USA)
  2. http://www.gmfsa.com/eng/nogal_eng.htm

References

External links

External identifiers for Juglans australis
Encyclopedia of Life 5348760
NCBI 91210
Also found in: Wikispecies