Tepualia
Encyclopedia
Tepualia is a monotypic
genus of the myrtle family
containing only the species Tepualia stipularis, which is commonly known as tepú, trepú, or tepual. It is an evergreen tree or shrub that can attain a height of about seven metres. The plant is native to southern South America
in the southern portions of Chile
and Argentina
and is a typical resident of very wet areas, especially peat bogs. Tepú has white flowers that emerge during the austral summer from January through March. The tree's wood is used within its range as a firewood due to it high energy content.
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus of the myrtle family
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
containing only the species Tepualia stipularis, which is commonly known as tepú, trepú, or tepual. It is an evergreen tree or shrub that can attain a height of about seven metres. The plant is native to southern South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
in the southern portions of 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...
and is a typical resident of very wet areas, especially peat bogs. Tepú has white flowers that emerge during the austral summer from January through March. The tree's wood is used within its range as a firewood due to it high energy content.