Chilean guava

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Chilean guava
Chilean guava (Ugni molinae)

Chilean guava ( Ugni molinae )

Systematics
Rosids
Eurosiden II
Order : Myrtle-like (Myrtales)
Family : Myrtle family (Myrtaceae)
Genre : Ugni
Type : Chilean guava
Scientific name
Ugni molinae
Turcz.

The Chilean guava ( Ugni molinae , Syn . : Myrtus ugni Mol. , Eugenia ugni (Mol.) Hooker & Arnott , Ugni poeppigii O. Berg , Ugni philippii O. Berg ; Ugni ugni (Mol.) Macloskie , Ugni myrtus Macloskie ) is a species of plant from the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). In the Mapuche language it is called Uñi and in Spanish Murta or Murtilla . It is only distantly related to the guavas .

description

The Chilean guava is an evergreen shrub that reaches heights of 1 to 2 meters. The cross- opposite, simple and short-stalked, pointed or pointed leaves are glossy dark green on top, with a clearly sunken central vein. They give off a spicy smell when rubbed. The thick leather and entire, almost bald, ovoid to lanceolate to elliptical leaf blade is 1.4 to 3.6 cm long and 0.8 to 2 cm wide. The leaf margin is often just bent over. The short, slightly runny and almost bald petiole is up to 4 mm long. The nerve is pinnate with weak, indistinct lateral veins.

There are two small, narrow bracts under the flowers . The flowers appear axillary in late spring (in Chile at the end of November). The pendulous, hermaphrodite, small, four- to five-fold and long-stemmed flowers have a double flower envelope . It is a cup-shaped, greenish to reddish, almost bare flower cup . The greenish to reddish, free and almost bare sepals are recessed and narrow-triangular. The white to pale purple and roofy, rounded, 5 to 8 mm large, free petals are arranged in a bell shape. There are 40 to 60 short, 2 to 4 mm long stamens . The conical stylus with smaller capitate scar is 4 to 5 mm long, the draft tube ovary is inferior. There is a bare discus .

The abundance of flowers and the abundance of nectar attract large numbers of bees , which act as the main pollinators.

The small, almost spherical and many-seeded, smooth berry fruits ( false fruit ) have a diameter of 7 to 15 mm and ripen in dark red to purple in mid-summer. The sepals remain on the not “completely closed” fruit tip with discus remnants like the medlar . The seeds are 1.5 to 2 mm in diameter. To overcome the dormancy , the seeds have to go through a wet-cold phase ( stratification ), germination takes place epigeaically .

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 22.

distribution

This species is naturally found in southern Chile (VI to X region ) and in neighboring Argentine areas. It is used as a fruit and ornamental wood. a. planted in Great Britain , Australia ( Tasmania ) and New Zealand .

use

Fruits of the Chilean guava

The culinary use of the fruits is originally limited to the south of Chile. There the fruits are put on top with aguardiente (a spirit), boiled into jam or prepared with quince for a dessert. The taste of the fruit is more or less reminiscent of quince or wild strawberry .

The Chilean guava was introduced to England in 1844 by the botanist and plant collector William Lobb and has since been planted there as a fruit and ornamental shrub. It is grown in New Zealand and Tasmania as fruit and as "New Zealand cranberry" or "Tazziberry" markets, which are in Chile of concern that the species is protected by patent and to biopiracy is part of Australian and New Zealand agribusinesses. However, there are probably no patents, only the brand name Tazzyberry is protected by trademark law.

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Web links

Commons : Ugni molinae  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Flora Chilena (Spanish).
  2. Ugni molinae at Tropicos.org. In: IPCN Chromosome Reports . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis
  3. La inigualable murtilla “agarra vuelo” on chilepotenciaalimentaria.cl, July 28, 2007 ( Memento of the original from June 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (Spanish). @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.chilepotenciaalimentaria.cl