Beilschmiedia miersii, commonly known as the northern acorn tree, is a species of evergreen tree in the family Lauraceae. It is native to central Chile from 30 to 35°S., up to 1200 meters (4000 ft) above sea level and lives under very dry conditions.

Beilschmiedia miersii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Laurales
Family: Lauraceae
Genus: Beilschmiedia
Species:
B. miersii
Binomial name
Beilschmiedia miersii

A type locality for B. miersii is the La Campana National Park and Cerro La Campana, where it is associated with the endangered Chilean wine palm.[2]

Description

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Reaches 25 meters (82 ft) height[3] and 80 cm (31 in) diameter. Straight and cylindrical trunk. Gray-brownish bark. Leaves are simple, opposite and subopposite, aovate to aovate-elliptical, entire margin, wavy, above they are dark and glossy, below they are glaucous, obtuse to emarginate apex, obtuse to slightly subcordate base, the leaves are about 4–11 cm long and 1,5–5 cm wide, petioles very pubescent about 5–10 mm long. Flowers are hermaphrodite, in inflorescences about 3–10 cm; pedicellate about 2–5 mm, yellow greenish, pubescent and fleshy tepals, the style ends in a papillose and obtuse stigma.

Cultivation and uses

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In central Chile this species is used as an ornamental. Its fruit is a brown drupe when ripe and is sometimes used for feeding pigs. It has also been planted and acclimatized in Spain.[4]

References

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  • P. Hechenleitner, M. Gardner, P. Thomas, C. Echeverría, B. Escobar, P. Brownless and C. Martínez. 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.
  • C. Michael Hogan. 2008. Chilean Wine Palm: Jubaea chilensis, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
  • R. Rodríguez and M. Quezada. 2001. Laurales. En C. Marticorena y R. Rodríguez [eds.], Flora de Chile Vol. 2, pp 10–19. Universidad de Concepción, Concepción.
  • "Beilschmiedia miersii". Patagonian Plants. Archived from the original on 2009-10-02. Retrieved 2009-06-27.

Line notes

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  1. ^ de Kok, R. (2021). "Beilschmiedia miersii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T201732A2712288. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T201732A2712288.en. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  2. ^ C. Michael Hogan, 2008
  3. ^ Patagonian Plants, 2009
  4. ^ "Chilean plants cultivated in Spain" (PDF). José Manuel Sánchez de Lorenzo-Cáceres. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-20. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
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