Lomatia dentata R.Br.

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T., et al. 2007. Proteaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 100: 1-218. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Proteaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lomatia dentata R.Br.

  • Type

    Type. Chile. Rere, Estancia del Rey, Dombey s.n. (lectotype, MA, designated by Sleumer, 1954: 198, n.v; isolectotypes, B, BM, CONC, G, K).

  • Synonyms

    Embothrium dentatum Ruiz & Pav., Tricondylus dentatus Kuntze, Embothrium pinol Meisn. ex Dombey, Lomatia dentata var. acutifolia Meisn., Lomatia sylvatica Poepp. ex Meisn., Lomatia dentata var. obtusifolia Meisn., Embothrium sylvaticum Poepp. ex Meisn.

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrub, or tree, to 12 m tall; twigs yellow-brown pubescent when young; lenticels pale red-brown, round to elliptic; outer bark of young twigs buff, membranous, often peeling, underlying bark red-brown to brown. Buds elongate, at least three times longer than wide; leaves simple, shiny above, drying light green, 1.7-7(-8) × 0.8-3.5 cm, subsessile or with petiole to 1 cm long; petiole flat above; lamina occasionally oblong, to elliptic through to suborbiculate, to wide obovate to oblanceolate; base cuneate to decurrent, symmetrical; apex acute to obtuse, occasionally rounded or even retuse in some older leaves; margin irregularly (though occasionally regularly) serrate with teeth sometimes poorly formed but always mucronate, the mucros red-brown; serration type from convex-concave to convex-straight to straight-straight to straight-convex; sinuses angular or rounded; venation obscure, the secondary veins often only visible below; pattern brochidodromous or cladodromous, often with both on one leaf; secondary veins 3-6 pairs; primary vein strongly raised below, plane or slightly sunken above; young foliage densely yellow-brown pilose, older leaves often with hairs concentrated at the base of the primary vein and on the petiole. Inflorescences axillary or terminal on short, lateral shoots, compressed racemes, 2.5-3.5 cm long, ferruginous pubescent; peduncles 1-2 cm long; bracteoles 1-2.5 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, broadly ovate, acuminate, outer yellow-brown pubescent, red-brown and glabrous within; flowers whitish to greenish to yellow, with a peculiar scent, 1.1-1.5 cm long, the perianth yellow-brown pubescent; two perianth segments adjacent to the nectary ca. 2 mm shorter narrower, but more fleshy than the opposite pair; gynoecium 8-13 mm long, yellow-brown pubescent except at the style apex and nectary; stipe 2.5-4 mm long; ovary 2.5-4 mm long, 12 mm wide; ovules 2x5 to 2×7; style 2-3mm long; style apex umbonate, 2-3 × 2 mm, the stigmatic surface raised at its center; anthers 1-2 mm long, 1 mm wide, ± oblong to ± triangular; connective broad, ± triangular with a blunt tip, dark brown, often red-brown at center; hypogynous nectary glands three, entire, dark brown, the lobes closely juxtaposed throughout or weakly distinct towards apex, not rostrate from above. Fruit 1.6-2.6 cm long, 0.4-0.5 cm wide, curved on one side, straight on the other, flattened, dehiscing along the curved edge, the surface dark brown, minutely tuberculate, often with regular longitudinal ridges,. yellow-brown pilose; peduncle 1.5-2.3 cm long, the stipe 0.7-1.1 cm long; style and stigma persistent, 0.6-0.8cm long. Seeds 4.5-5 × 3-4.5 mm, ovate to elliptic with an acute tip, flattened with the surface irregularly sculpted; brown, or gray-brown speckled dark brown when dry; cotyledons pale brown; seed and wing 1.3-1.7 cm long, 4.5-6.5 mm wide; vascular strand thickest and often looping inwards along the base of the wing; dissepiment deep red-brown, exactly covering seed and wing or just shorter.

  • Discussion

    Distribution and Ecology: Lomatia dentata grows in forest understory or in wet shrubland, not forming pure stands. Found in damp shady areas, and also on dry, more sunny hillsides where it is able to tolerate poor rocky soils. Distributed in Chile from Prov. Valparaiso (32° S) to Prov. Chiloé (40° S), and reaching adjacent Argentina (Comber, 1928). Recorded as occurring in Patagonia (Latzina, 1937). The altitudinal range of this species is from sea level to ca. 1800 m. The higher altitudes are reached at the north of its range.

    Phenology. Flowering from Oct-Apr, principally in Dec-Jan.

  • Common Names

    avellanillo, piñol, guardafuego, palo negro, avellanito, corcolén, pianol

  • Distribution

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