Native trees of Chile

Daniel Arancibia Ignacio Becerra

Nicols Zeren

Roman Cassie (Acacia caven)

Family: Fabaceae Distribution: The Roman Cassie grows in Chile in the regions of Atacama, Coquimbo, Valparaso, O'Higgins, Maule and Bio Bio, associated with scrub and sclerophyll forest, which northern distribution includes ravines and hillsides. In the central regions of their distribution, Roman Cassie is on slopes facing north or sunny exposure. To the south of its range, meanwhile, grows in areas of the central valley, foothills and coastal dry Andean foothill, on the inner slope of the Cordillera de la Costa.

Description: Deciduous shrub or small tree that can reach up to 6 meters high and 45 centimeters in diameter. The bark is brown brown and when adult has longitudinal grooves. The leaves are compound, bipinnate, opposite of 2 to 4.5 centimeters long. It has two spines at the base of the leaves. The flowers are hermaphrodite, arranged in globose inflorescences yellow, scented, composed of a reddish calyx of 5 united sepals and a corolla of 5 petals also fused, stamens numerous (30-70). The fruit, commonly called quirica or quirincha, indehiscent legume is a dark, almost black that inside has several a bean-like seeds dark brown about 8 millimeters long.

Uses: Roman Cassie wood is of excellent quality to produce handicrafts and furniture, is very hard and dark. It is also used to produce charcoal which is of very good quality.

Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana)

Family: Araucariaceae Distribution: Monkey Puzzle is an endemic species of the subantarctic forests of South America, and has its natural distribution restricted to two discontinuous areas

The main area is located in the Andes, where on its western side, forms and forests from 800 to 1700 meters above sea level and thus constitute in many cases the altitudinal timberline.
A second area of natural development is presented in Nahuelbuta Coastal Range in Chile in two disjunct populations

Description: Evergreen tree that can reach more than 1000 years old, dioecious or rarely monoecious that reaches a height of 50 meters and a diameter of 2.5 meters, very thick crust cracked in hexagonal plates commonly called choros. Leaves coriaceous, sessile, imbricated, oval to lanceolate with acute apex ending in a mucro, wide base. Blades of 2.5-3 x 1.52 centimeters. Male cones of 8-12cm long and 4-5cm wide, globose female cones of 15-20cm in diameter. Each female cone contains between 120 and 180 seeds 4-5 x 1.5 centimeters.

Usos: The seeds, commonly called pine nuts are edible and important part of the diet of indigenous peoples due to its high energy content. Also as an ornamental because of the beautiful architecture in the form of umbrellas.

Cypres of the range (Autrocedrus chilensis)

Family: Cupressaceae

Distribution: Species endemic to Chile and Argentina, grows in patches pure discontinuous shallow stony soils. Lives mainly in the Andean foothills, but also on the coast. It is distributed from the province of the Andes to the Llanquihue

Description: Evergreen tree that can reach about 1,000 years old, dioecious, reaches a height of 20 meters and a diameter of up to 2 meters, gray bark, cracked longitudinally Leaves scale-like, imbricated, opposite, dimorphic, the Side 2-3 millimeters, spread on the stem, triangular facial 0.5-1 millimeters. Male cones amentiformes, cafes, 4-5 millimeters long. Female cones ovoid, chestnut 1-1.5 x 0.5-0.7 centimeters, made by 4 opposite and leathery scales containing 1 or 2 seeds inside.

Uses: The yellowish white wood is very good quality, lightweight, durable, aromatic and easy to work. It is used in fine furniture. Species with potential to be used in reforestation programs eroded hills of the Andes. It is also used as an ornamental species, due to its elegance and beauty.

Southern belloto (Beilshmiedia berteroana)

Family: Lauraceae Distribution: Southern Bellotto is endemic to Chile, presenting severely fragmented populations between Melipilla and cloudy, in the Central Valley and both mountain ranges up to 1,800 meters above sea level. It lives in wet places near streams or waterways.

Description: Evergreen tree that reaches a height of 15 meters and a diameter of up to 60 centimeters, trunk branched, grayish bark with longitudinal fissures. Leaves simple, opposite or sub-opposite elliptical to ovateelliptic with entire margin, the beam is shiny green, while the underside is glaucous. Round or slightly emarginate apex, base slightly cuneate. Blades of 3-7.5 x 2-4 centimeters, pubescent petioles 2-5 millimeters long. Hermaphrodite flowers arranged in inflorescences 5-6 inches long. Millimeters 4-6 pedicellate flowers, yellow-green. Tepals glabrous, fleshy, stamens 1 millimeter long, staminodes of 5 millimeters, 1 millimeter style finished in a obtuse stigma. The fruit is a green drupe, globose of 1.5-2 centimeters in diameter, with a point at the apex.

Uses: Tree of very attractive appearance, should be used as an ornamental species. The fruits are used as food for pigs.

Radal (Lomatia hirsuta)

Family: Proteaceae Distribution: Radal distributed from Coquimbo to Chiloe Island. Also in Peru and Ecuador. It grows in a variety of soil and moisture conditions.

Description: Small tree up to 15 meters high and 80 centimeters in diameter, evergreen. Light gray bark with shallow longitudinal fissures. Leaves alternate, ovate, base cordate, petioles 2-3 inches long, blades 5-20 x 4-12 centimeters of jagged edges, glossy dark green on top and dull green on the underside, with the rib well marked on the underside. Flowers hermaphrodite, greenish yellow, covered with a ferruginous red, the flowers are arranged in axillary racemose inflorescences. Each flower consists of 4 linear tepals, 4 stamens sessile and longer styles. The fruit is a woody almost black hair gray, oval-oblong, 2-4 inches long, composed of two valves. Brown winged seeds arranged in a 15 x 5-6 imbricated millimeters.

Uses: The wood has a beautiful grain, similar to hazel, but of inferior quality. The leaves are used to dye dark brown wool.

Soapbark (Quillaja saponaria)

Family: Rosaceae Distribution: Soapbark is endemic to Chile and grows from Coquimbo to Malleco. It lives in dry, poor soils, reaching up to 2,000 meters above sea level

Description: Small evergreen tree, up to 15 meters high and 1 meter in diameter. Bark gray-ashen, rich in saponin. Leaves alternate, nearly sessile, glabrous, elliptical to ovate, apex acute, base obtuse, glossy green clear edges almost whole, with 4-8 teeth. Plate 2-5 x 1-3 centimeter. Whitish green flowers, hermaphrodite, pentmeras, star-shaped, from 1-1.4 centimeters in diameter, arranged in corymbs. Calyx consists of 5 sepals, corolla consists of 5 petals alternate with the sepals. Androecium consists of 10 stamens, gynoecium composed of five ovaries, each with a filiform style and a stigma. The fruit starshaped capsule, inside many winged seeds.

Use: The bark is used since ancient times as the detergent, due to the large amount of saponin contained. Potential as a species for reforestation programs in arid soils. Used widely as an ornamental.

Northern belloto (Beilshmiedia miersii)

Family: Lauraceae

Distribution: Northern belloto is endemic to the coastal mountains of Chile between Petorca and Melipilla, to 1,200 m over sea level

Description: Evergreen tree that reaches a height of 25 meters and a diameter of 80 inches, straight and cylindrical trunk, gray-brown bark. Leaves simple, opposite or sub-opposite ovate or ovate-form elliptic with entire margin, wavy, the beam is lustrous dark green, while the underside is glaucous. Apex obtuse or emarginate, sometimes acute, base obtuse or slightly sub-roped.

Uses: Ornamental. The fruits are used as food for pigs.

Description of the species

Family: Podocarpaceae Common name: Female Maniu Is a native tree to southern South America. It grows in Chile and Argentina from 35 to 46 South latitude, in its natural distribution it grows between 800 and 1000 m. above sea level and in the south it lives at sea level. It is a slow-growing, long-lived evergreen tree growing to 15-25 m tall, with a trunk up to 1 m in diameter

description of its leaves

The leaves are arranged in an irregular spiral; they are lanceolate, 1.5-3 cm long, 2 mm broad, fairly hard with a prickly spine tip. The wood has a good quality and is used in furniture and barrels.

General description
scientific name: Luma apiculata Family: Mirthaceae Is a native tree to the central Andes between Chile and Argentina, at 33 to 45 south latitude. Growing to 1015 m. tall and wide, it is a vigorous and bushy.

Leaves
It is evergreen, with small fragrant oval leaves 2 to 2.5 centimetres long and 1.5 broad, and profuse white flowers in early to midsummer. Its fruit is an edible black or blue berry 1 centimeter in diameter, ripe in early autumn.

General description
Common name: long leaves maniu Family: Podocarpaceae This tree Is a species of coniferous evergreen tree. It is found only in Chile, from 35 to 42 south latitude, where it is threatened by habitat loss. Growing up to 20 m in height and 1 m in diameter.

leaves
It is evergreen and measuring 10-15 cm long and 1 cm broad.

The wood is of good quality, is yellowish colored, straight grained, and highly moisture resistant. It is used in furniture and construction.

Roble beech

General description
scientific name: Nothofagus Obliqua Family: Nothofagaceae Is a deciduous tree from Chile and Argentina. It grows from 33 to 43 South Latitude, in Chile and Argentina. It has gray-brownish or dark brown bark.

Leaves
It has alternate leaves somewhat curled between the veins and the serrated margin. It has separate male and female flowers, both are small. The wood is white, somewhat yellowish. It has a good figure, is valued for its durability, and is used in furniture and construction.

Chilean Wine Palm

General description

Family: Arecaceae scientific name: Jubaea chilensis It is native to southwestern South America, where it is endemic to a small area of central Chile, between 32 and 35 latitude south in southern Coquimbo, Valparaso, Santiago, O'Higgins and northern Maule regions. It is a palm reaching heights of 25 metres with a trunk up to 1.3 metres in diameter at the base, and with smooth bark.

leaves
The 35-metre leaves are pinnate. The largest individual specimen of Jubaea chilensis is in Kew Gardens, Inglaterra.

Peruvian nutmeg

General description
Scientific name: Laurelia sempervirens Family: Monimiaceae It is endemic to Chile. It occurs 34-41 South Latitude. They require a warm subtropical to tropical climate. It is a specie reaching heights of 30 metres to 2 m diameter.

leaves
The bright green leaves of the Chilean laurel are arranged in opposite pairs, and are oblong in shape, narrowed at the base. The leaves are leathery, shiny, and around 5 to 10 centimetres long and 2.5 to 5 centimetres wide and with serrated edges.

Rauli Beech

General description
Scientific name: Nothofagus alpina Family: Fagaceae Deciduous tree, it grows in Chile and Argentina, it reaches 50 m height and more than 2 meters in diameter. It is found on the Andes. It tolerates low temperatures and heavy winds.

Leaves description
Alternate leaves, peduncles in 3 to 12 mm long, oblong ovate to lanceolate with hairs regularly distributed, undulate margins and softly serrated.

Flowers unisexual.

Rauli wood
it is used in furniture, barrels for very fine Chilean wines, doors, veneers, shingles and floors.

Typical Name: Alerce, Lahun, Lahual

Foliage: Its leaves are evergreen and thin. Oblong oval way, they measure is 2.5-3 mm long. Flowers: It is a dioecious species. However, it is possible to find cases outstanding, some exemplary are hermaphroditic and Monoecious trees. Seeds: The seeds are small, about 2.5 mm in diameter, an example is anemocora, with 2-3 wings seeds. Description: It is a tree of evergreen, which reaches a height of 45 m. It has a narrow pyramidal habit Cup and its straight trunk diameter may exceed 4 m.

Scientific name: Fitzroya cupressoides (Molina) I.M. Johnst. Family: Cupressaceae

Natural distribution
Fitzroya cupressoides is a conifer endemic South American subantarctic forest, developing discontinuously between the parallel 39 50' and 43 30' South latitude mainly in Chile and in a lesser extent in Argentina.

Typical Name : Coihue.

Scientific name : Nothofagus dombeyi . Family : Nothofagaceae

Foliage: Monoecious tree, evergreen up to 45 m in height and 3m in diameter; bark with shallow longitudinal cracks of grey foliage of stratified appearance.

Flowers: Unisexual small arranged in inflorescences almost at the ends of the branches.
Seeds: The fruit is formed by a dome of 4 narrow valves, inside 3 nuts of yellowish color of 2 - 3mm long, being the two lower triangular, and the internal flat with a hairy texture. Description: Tiered branching, evergreen tree growing up to 40 meters and reaches a diameter of 3 meters, its bark is smooth and with shallow cracks.

Coihue grows from Colchagua to Aisn (VI to XI region), and also in Argentina. It lives from sea level to the altitudinal tree limit ,and deals with different types of areas.

Typical Name : irre.

Scientific name : Notofagus antartica Family : Nothofagaceae

Foliage: Pubescent new branchlets of red color, sticky and aromatic.

Flowers: It has unisexual and small flowers; the male is solitary, perianth campanula formed by 5-lobed, the female flowers arranged a 3 ?in inflorescences.
Seeds: The fruit is formed by a dome of 4 narrow valves, inside 3 nuts of yellowish color of 3 - 4mm long, being the two lower triangular, and the internal flat with a hairy texture. Description: Tree of deciduous foliage, it can reach 20 meters in height and 60 cm in diameter. Its trunk is cylindrical and knotty, its bark is rough, cracked and of a gray color.

irre grows from Curic to the Cabo de Hornos (VI to XII region), and also in Argentina. It lives in places with poor soils, low temperatures and strong winds.

Typical Name : Hualo, Roble Maulino.

Foliage: It leaves are alternate, petioles of 2-7 mm long, ovate, both sides with glands of rough texture, glaucous below, with wavy margins unevenly serrated and twisted blade. Flowers: It flowers are unisexual, small,the male is solitary, pedicels up to 1 cm, 50 stamens and female flowers of a 3 in inflorescences.

Scientific name : Notofagus glauca Family : Nothofagaceae

Seeds: Dome with 4 narrow valves, with 3 yellowish nuts of 12-20 mm long, pilose, the two lower triangular?, trialadas, with an internal flat and bi winged. Description: It reaches up to 30 m tall and 2 m diameter; with a straight and cylindrical trunk ; reddish bark, gray, thick and rough.

It presents a discontinuous distribution between the coastal range and the Andes mountain; from the Cachapoal province to the province of the Bo-Bo. In the cordillera de la costa occupies altitudes between 150 and 800 m, while in the Andes mountain it is located under the 1,200 m.

Typical Name : Lenga.

Scientific name : Notofagus pumilo. Family : Nothofagaceae

Foliage: It has alternate leaves, dark green color, elliptical,and a slightly wavy base. Flowers: It contains unisexual and small flowers; the male is solitary and a pedicel up to 4 mm long. Seeds: The fruit is formed by a dome of 2 leaflets, 1 6 7mm long hairy nut inside. Description: It is a monoecious and deciduous tree, with a pyramidal Cup, and stratified ramification. It reaches 30 meters in height and 1.5 in diameter.

It grows from Talca to Cape Horn (VII to XII region), and in both mountain ranges, its altitudinal is from the to the limit of vegetation at the height of the Andes.

Typical Name : Radal.

Foliage: It leaves are alternate, with a heart-shaped base, and sheets of 5-20 x 4-12cm, toothed, dark green glossy in the beam and green opaque on the underside.
Flowers: it has hermaphrodite flowers, of greenishyellow color, covered with a ferruginous Red. Seeds: The fruit is a follicle almost Woody grayish black, of an oval-oblonga shape, 2 - 4cm long, and winged brown seeds. Description: Small tree up to 15m high and 80cm in diameter, with a evergreen feature. Clear grey bark with shallow longitudinal fissures.

Scientific name : Lomatia Hirsuta. Family : Proteaceae.

Radal is distributed from Coquimbo to Chilo Island (IV region x). Also we can find it in Peru and Ecuador.

Typical Name : Boldo.

Foliage: It contains opposite leaves and an aromatic characteristic. Moreover , it has an elliptical form with entire and revolute margins , and a dark green beam.
Flowers: It has unisexual flowers arranged in inflorescences. Seeds: The fruit is a drupe yellowish when it is ripe, and a size of 6 - 8 mm long.

Description: Evergreen tree which reaches a height of up to 30m and a diameter greater than 1 m. It is thin and a rough brown bark.

Scientific name : Peumus boldus. Family : Monimiaceae.

Boldo represents a monotypic and endemic type of tree. It grows in Chile from Limar to Osorno region(IV region x), and its height is about 5-1.000 m.