Laureliopsis philippiana
Encyclopedia
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.
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 raceme
s, the peduncle
s are hairy about 2-3 mm long, flowers with bell-shaped perianth
split in 7-9 petal
s more or less equal, hairy outside, 4 stamen
s and 8-20 staminode
s, 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.
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
endemic to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
(35 to 45°S). In Chile it is found from Maule
Maule Region
The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
to Aysen
Aysen Region
The XI Aisén Region of General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo , also spelled Aysén, is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Although the third largest in area, the region is Chile's most sparsely populated region with a population of 105,000. The capital of the region is Coihaique, the...
. It grows on humid and deep soils.
Description
It is an evergreenEvergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
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
Bay Laurel
The bay laurel , also known as sweet bay, bay tree, true laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel tree, or simply laurel, is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glossy leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. It is the source of the bay leaf used in cooking...
. 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
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
or unixesual, they are small about 5-6 mm long, reddish-green, arranged in raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
s, the peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
s are hairy about 2-3 mm long, flowers with bell-shaped perianth
Perianth
The term perianth has two similar but separate meanings in botany:* In flowering plants, the perianth are the outer, sterile whorls of a flower...
split in 7-9 petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s more or less equal, hairy outside, 4 stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s and 8-20 staminode
Staminode
In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. This means that it does not produce pollen. Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the...
s, several carpels, the style is feathery with terminal stigma
Stigma (botany)
The stigma is the receptive tip of a carpel, or of several fused carpels, in the gynoecium of a flower. The stigma receives pollen at pollination and it is on the stigma that the pollen grain germinates. The stigma is adapted to catch and trap pollen with various hairs, flaps, or sculpturings...
. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
almost oval, crowned by the perianth, about 1-1.3 cm long, formed by the perigonium that wraps several carpels, hairy, dark brown, spindle
Spindle (textiles)
A spindle is a wooden spike used for spinning wool, flax, hemp, cotton, and other fibres into thread. It is commonly weighted at either the bottom middle or top, most commonly by a circular or spherical object called a whorl, and may also have a hook, groove or notch, though spindles without...
-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.
Uses
The wood is used in construction, however it rots when exposed to outdoors moisture. It has been planted in SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.