Myrceugenia obtusa (O.Berg) DC.
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Authority
Landrum, Leslie R. 1981. A monograph of the genus Myrceugenia (Myrtaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 29: 1-137. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Myrtaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Dombey s.n., "in Peruvia" (holotype, G-DC, n.v.; Field Museum neg. 7945 of holotype, photo at MICH).
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Synonyms
Eugenia obtusa Barb.Rodr., Myrtus raran Colla, Eugenia raran (Colla) Barnéoud, Luma obtusa (DC.) A.Gray, Eugenia polyantha Barb.Rodr., Myrceugenia obtusa var. raran (Colla) O.Berg, Myrceugenia obtusa var. berteroana O.Berg, Myrceugenia obtusa var. polyantha (Phil.) O.Berg
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Description
Species Description - Shrub or small tree 2-8 m high; hairs reddish-brown, a mixture of simple and dibrachiate; twigs reddish-brown when young, becoming greyish brown with age, densely pubescent when young, the hairs spreading, persisting until the first bark exfoliates; leaves opposite to subopposite, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs, elliptic to ovate, 1-3 cm long, 0.6-2(-2.5) cm wide, 1-2.2 times as long as wide; apex bluntly acute, obtuse or rounded; base acute, obtuse to rounded (rarely slightly cordate); midvein not noticeably impressed above, moderately prominent to indistinct below; lateral veins indistinct or up to ca. 5 pairs faintly visible; marginal veins indistinct; blades coriaceous, often brittle even when alive, grey-green to brown above, lighter grey-green or brown below, the surfaces dull or lustrous, often wrinkled, with the appearance of shiny paper; peduncles uniflorous, flattened, 2-15 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide, moderately to densely pubescent, solitary in the axils of leaves; bracteoles leaf-like, petiolate, linear, oblong, elliptic or spatulate, 2-6 mm long, 0.5-2.5 mm wide, 2-4.5 times as long as wide, subcoriaceous, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, not clasping the hypanthium; Calyx-lobes ovate to oblong, 2-4 mm long, 1.7-2.5 mm wide, 1-1.8 times as long as wide, submembranous, glabrous within, sparsely pubescent to glabrous without, concave; petals suborbicular, 3-4 mm in diam.; hypanthium densely pubescent, 1-2 mm long, more or less obconic; disk 2-2.5 mm across, sparsely pubescent to glabrous; stamens 90-190, 4-8 mm long, anthers 0.2-0.4 mm long when dry; style 5-7 mm long, glabrous to sparsely pubescent; ovary 2-4-locular; ovules 5-9(-12) per locule; fruit dark purple-black, globose to elongate, 5-10 mm in diam.; seeds few, 3-4 in fruits seen, more or less round, 4-5 mm in diam.
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Discussion
Myrceugenia obtusa is a common species of the mediterranean region of central Chile but extends as far south as Temuco. A map of its distribution is shown in Fig. 10. It is probably a derivative of M. ovata or a not too distant common ancestor. It is easily distinguished from all the other species in the genus by its leaf-like bracteoles and small obtuse, mainly elliptic leaves. It flowers in December and January and its fruits mature from April to November, being perhaps the only species in which the fruits mature in both the fall and spring.
Distribution and Ecology: Myrceugenia obtusa is a common species of the mediterranean region of central Chile but extends as far south as Temuco. A map of its distribution is shown in Fig. 10. It is probably a derivative of M. ovata or a not too distant common ancestor. It is easily distinguished from all the other species in the genus by its leaf-like bracteoles and small obtuse, mainly elliptic leaves. It flowers in December and January and its fruits mature from April to November, being perhaps the only species in which the fruits mature in both the fall and spring.
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Distribution
Chile South America| Coquimbo Chile South America| Valparaíso Chile South America| Santiago Chile South America| O'Higgins Chile South America| Maule Chile South America|