Maytenus boaria
Encyclopedia
Maytenus boaria is an evergreen tree of the family Celastraceae
, native from South America
, up to 20 m (65 ft), 80 cm diameter (30 in), straight trunk. It occurs naturally approximately from 30 to 50ºS: Chile
and Argentina
.
are small, alternate, elliptical, fine serrate margins, light green color, about 2.5 and 5 cm long. The flowers are small; male flowers are brownish yellow and female are green with purple lines. Its fruit
is a yellow bivalve capsule, which contains one or two seeds, and is covered by a red-colored membrane. Its seeds are easy to germinate.
. The hard wood is used in tool handles and as both ornamental in gardens and reforestation of Chile. Flowers combined with European bees produce a very delicious honey
. Its tender leaves are used to feed cattle, in fact the name boaria means bovine, because they enjoy feeding from them. It is easy to plant by seed. It is fully naturalized in New Zealand
. Few trees have been planted in gardens of California
and private collections in Spain
, and all of them have acclimatized in those lands. It has been planted in the North Pacific Coast of the United States
as far north as Seattle, Washington.
In Argentina
it's found also in Córdoba Province
(an area with a continental climate and a dry season in winter), growing among Polylepis australis
, a tree endemic of the central-pampean mountains of Argentina.
Example occurrences include the forested slopes of Cerro la Campana
in the La Campana National Park
of central Chile. There it is associated with the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis as well as a number of threatened understory
plants including Adiantum gertrudis
.
Celastraceae
The Celastraceae , is a family of about 90-100 genera and 1,300 species of vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales...
, native from 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...
, up to 20 m (65 ft), 80 cm diameter (30 in), straight trunk. It occurs naturally approximately from 30 to 50ºS: 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...
.
Description
Its leavesLeaves
-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
are small, alternate, elliptical, fine serrate margins, light green color, about 2.5 and 5 cm long. The flowers are small; male flowers are brownish yellow and female are green with purple lines. Its fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
is a yellow bivalve capsule, which contains one or two seeds, and is covered by a red-colored membrane. Its seeds are easy to germinate.
Cultivation and uses
From its seeds oil is obtained in order to elaborate varnishVarnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner or solvent. Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss...
. The hard wood is used in tool handles and as both ornamental in gardens and reforestation of Chile. Flowers combined with European bees produce a very delicious honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
. Its tender leaves are used to feed cattle, in fact the name boaria means bovine, because they enjoy feeding from them. It is easy to plant by seed. It is fully naturalized in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Few trees have been planted in gardens of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and private collections in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and all of them have acclimatized in those lands. It has been planted in the North Pacific Coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as far north as Seattle, Washington.
Occurrences
It is slow-growing and drought resistant tree. When growing wild in Argentina, a more continental climate, it is hardier than those in Chile; but provenance source has not been selected from Argentina for cultivation in Europe.In 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...
it's found also in Córdoba Province
Córdoba Province (Argentina)
Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca...
(an area with a continental climate and a dry season in winter), growing among Polylepis australis
Polylepis australis
Polylepis australis, also known locally as Tabaquillo or Queñoa is a tree endemic of central Argentina, member of the family Rosaceae. The genus Polylepis originated in the eastern South America, Andean forests . The plant has small, pinnate leaves, 7–10 cm long, normally composed of five or...
, a tree endemic of the central-pampean mountains of Argentina.
Example occurrences include the forested slopes of Cerro la Campana
Cerro La Campana
Cerro la Campana, the Bell mountain, is a mountain in La Campana National Park in central Chile.The Pacific and the mountain Aconcagua are visible from the summit on clear days....
in the La Campana National Park
La Campana National Park
La Campana National Park is located in the Cordillera de la Costa, Quillota Province, in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. La Campana National Park and the Vizcachas Mountains lie northwest of Santiago...
of central Chile. There it is associated with the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis as well as a number of threatened understory
Understory
Understory is the term for the area of a forest which grows at the lowest height level below the forest canopy. Plants in the understory consist of a mixture of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees together with understory shrubs and herbs...
plants including Adiantum gertrudis
Adiantum gertrudis
Adiantum gertrudis is a threatened species of fern that occurs in central South America. One locus of occurrence of A. gertrudis is within central Chile at the La Campana National Park.. A morphological trait unique to A. gertrudis is the hairs covering its fronds.-Sources:* Chilebosque * Michael...
.