''Luma apiculata'', the Chilean myrtle or ''temu'', is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

in the myrtle

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

, native to the central Andes between Chile and Argentina, at 33 to 45° south latitude. Growing to tall and wide, it is a vigorous, bushy,

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

with fragrant flowers.

Description

The Chilean myrtle grows slowly, forming a small tree of around 10 to 15 m, rarely 20 m. Its trunk appears twisted and contorted and has smooth

bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...

, coloured grey to bright orange-brown, which peels as the tree grows - giving a two-tone appearance of rich cinnamon colour, contrasted with cream. It is

, with small, fragrant, oval leaves 2.0 to 2.5 cm long and 1.5 broad, and profuse white

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

s in early to midsummer. Its

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...

is an edible black or blue

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...

1.0 cm in diameter, ripe in early autumn.

Names and synonyms

Synonyms A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are ...

include ''Eugenia apiculata'' DC., ''Myrceugenia apiculata'' (DC.) Niedenzu, and ''Myrceugenella apiculata'' (DC.) Kausel. Common names include ''arrayán'' (from a Spanish name for the related European myrtle), ''kelümamüll'' (orange-wood) (the

Mapuche The Mapuche ( (Mapuche & Spanish: )) are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who s ...

Native American name), shortleaf stopper, ''palo colorado'' and ''temu''.

Etymology

''Luma'' is a derivation of a vernacular Chilean name for this species, while ''apiculata'' means 'with a small, broadly pointed tip'.Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. (hardback), (paperback). pp 52, 243

Habitat

The Chilean myrtle grows along water currents in the Valdivian temperate rain forests in Chile, while in Argentina it grows from Neuquén south to the Chubut River. The main forests are on the

Quetrihué Peninsula Los Arrayanes National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes) is a national park of Argentina with an area of . It covers the Quetrihué Peninsula on the shore of the Nahuel Huapi Lake in the province of Neuquén, from Villa la Angostura. Eve ...

(Mapuche for 'myrtles') and on Isla Victoria on the Nahuel Huapi Lake, within the Los Arrayanes National Park and Nahuel Huapí National Park, respectively, in Argentina. It can be also found in lesser numbers along the Arrayanes River in Los Alerces National Park. Trees in these protected areas are up to 650 years old. The notable Argentinian myrtle forest of the Los Arrayanes National Park covers 20 ha of the Quetrihué Peninsula, where the cinnamon-coloured myrtles leave almost no space for other trees.

Cultivation and uses

Its fruit is appreciated in Chile and Argentina and its flowers are important for

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

production. The Chilean myrtle has medicinal uses for the Mapuche people. It is also kept as

bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of ''penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produce ...

and cultivated in

gardens A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...

for the contrast of the glossy foliage and slender red stems. It has become

naturalised Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...

in parts of Ireland and western Great Britain and it has been planted in Spain. Also suspected to be naturalising in New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. This plant has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (No ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

Gallery

Image:Luma apiculata 2019.jpg, View of the whole tree Image:Luma_apiculata2.jpg, Chilean myrtle trunk in forest Image:Luma apiculata-Arrayán (flor).JPG, Flowers on a branch File:Arrayán.JPG, Arrayán in Los Arrayanes National Park.

References

External links

''Luma apiculata'' in Encyclopedia of the Chilean FloraJepson Manual Treatment
{{Taxonbar, from=Q699330 Myrtaceae Flora of central Chile Trees of Chile Trees of Argentina Trees of Mediterranean climate Trees of mild maritime climate Ornamental trees Berries