Citronella mucronata

Citronella mucronata
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Aquifoliales
Family:	Cardiopteridaceae
Genus:	Citronella
Species:	C. mucronata
Binomial name
Citronella mucronata (Ruiz et Pavón) D.Don.

Citronella mucronata, the Huillipatagua (Spanish pronunciation: [wiʎipaˈtaɣwa]) or Chilean citronella tree, is an evergreen tree native to Chile, it occurs from 30 to 41° south latitude. Growing up to 1400 m (4600 ft) a.s.l. It is frequently found on moist sites.

Description

It reaches up to 10 m (30 ft) and 1 m (3 ft) in diameter. The bark is dark gray and rough. The leaves are alternate, leathery, the edge is entire or toothed, ovate or oblong with an acute apex (tip) which ends in a mucro (sharp point). The leaves are about 4,5-6 long and 2,5–4 cm and wide, with domatia in the axils of the side veins, and the veins are yellow, the leaves are glossy green above, and paler bellow. Small petioles. The flowers are hermaphrodite and whitish yellow and arranged in terminal panicles 4–8 cm long. The calyx is made up by 5 sepals, the corolla has 5 free petals. The fruit is a spherical drupe about 1-1.2 cm in diameter which is purple when mature.

Cultivation and uses

It is a beautiful tree and very ornamental and tolerates frosts in winters. It has been planted in Spain^[1].

References and external links

1. ^ "Chilean plants cultivated in Spain". José Manuel Sánchez de Lorenzo-Cáceres. http://www.arrakis.es/~jmanuel/Plantaschilenas.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-27. 

• Donoso, C. 2005. Árboles nativos de Chile. Guía de reconocimiento. Edición 4. Marisa Cuneo Ediciones, Valdivia, Chile. 136p.
• Hechenleitner P., Gardner M, Thomas P., Echeverría C., Escobar B., Brownless P. & Martínez C. 2005. Plantas Amenazadas del Centro-Sur de Chile. Distribución, Conservación y Propagación. Primera Edición. Universidad Austral de Chile y Real Jardín Botánico de Edimburgo, Valdivia. 188p.
• Hoffmann, Adriana. 1998. Flora Silvestre de Chile, Zona Central. Edición 4. Fundación Claudio Gay, Santiago. 254p.
• Citronella mucronata in Encyclopedia of Chilean Flora
• Images and description from Chilebosque website