Kingdom Plantae Family Cardiopteridaceae Scientific name Citronella mucronata | Order Aquifoliales Genus Citronella Rank Species | |
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Similar Citronella, Beilschmiedia miersii, Crinodendron patagua, Beilschmiedia berteroana, Azara celastrina | ||
Citronella mucronata, the Huillipatagua ([wiʎipaˈtaɣwa]) or Chilean citronella tree, is an evergreen tree native to Chile, it occurs from 30 to 41° south latitude. Growing up to 1400 m (4600 ft) a.s.l. It is frequently found on moist sites.
Contents
Description
It reaches up to 10 m (30 ft) and 1 m (3 ft) in diameter. The bark is dark gray and rough. The leaves are alternate, leathery, the edge is entire or toothed, ovate or oblong with an acute apex (tip) which ends in a mucro (sharp point). The leaves are about 4,5-6 long and 2,5–4 cm and wide, with domatia in the axils of the side veins, and the veins are yellow, the leaves are glossy green above, and paler below. Small petioles. The flowers are hermaphrodite and whitish yellow and arranged in terminal panicles 4–8 cm long. The calyx is made up by 5 sepals, the corolla has 5 free petals. The fruit is a spherical drupe about 1-1.2 cm in diameter which is purple when mature.
Cultivation and uses
It is a beautiful tree and very ornamental and tolerates frosts in winters. It has been planted in Spain.
