| Prumnopitys andina | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Araucariales |
| Family: | Podocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Prumnopitys |
| Species: | P. andina |
| Binomial name | |
| Prumnopitys andina (Poepp. exEndl.) de Laub. | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
List
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Prumnopitys andina, thelleuque orChilean plum yew,[3] is anevergreenconiferoustree native to south-centralChile and a few areas in adjacent parts of westernmostArgentina from 36 to 40° South latitude. It lives on moderately wet soils, preferably on Andean slopes from 500–1,100 meters (1,600–3,600 ft).
It grows up to 30 m (98 ft) high, with a trunk up to 2 m (6.6 ft) in diameter. Theleaves are linear to sickle-shaped, 15–30 mm long and 2 mm broad. Theseed cones are highly modified, reducing to a central stem 2–4 cm long bearing 1–4 scales, each scale maturing berry-like, oval, 10–15 mm long and 10 mm broad, green maturing dark purple, with a soft edible pulp covering the singleseed. The seeds are dispersed bybirds, which eat the 'berries' and pass the seeds in their droppings. Seeds are very difficult to germinate. It has a straight and cylindrical trunk, with gray and shiny bark.
Before the genusPrumnopitys was distinguished, it was treated in the related genusPodocarpus asPodocarpus andinus. It has also been treated by some botanists asPrumnopitys spicata (Molloy &Muñoz-Schick 1999); however this name is illegitimate (Mill & Quinn 2001).Prumnopitys elegans (Phil) is a synonym forPrumnopitys andina.[4]
The fruit (anaril) are tasty, 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long, blue-purple in color, are eaten byNative American people in Chile, and a marmalade is produced with them. The tree is also occasionally grown as an ornamental tree and ahedge in oceanic climate areas in northwestEurope and thePacific Northwest ofNorth America. In these areas, it is also sometimes known as "plum-yew" or "plum-fruited yew", though these names are more commonly applied to plants in the genusCephalotaxus.
The wood is a yellowish color and has a good quality. It is used in furniture and construction.
Evidence suggests that very little regeneration is occurring to replace current ageing trees in populations. In 2007, theForestry Commission planted large numbers of young trees atBedgebury Pinetum in the UK as part of a project aiming to conserve thegenetic resources of endangered conifers.[5]
