Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz, Elaeocarpaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Spanish: clon, macqui, maquei, queldrón

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "A 3-4 m high shrub, glabrous, except young branches; stems are reddish brown. Leaves perennial, opposite or sub-opposite, ovate-lanceolate, serrate, petioles 0.5-3 cm in length, twisted; laminas 3-7cm long (rarely up to 12 cm), glabrous; stipules 1-1.5 mm long. Inflorescences are short panicles, generally 1-2 cm long, with variable flower number. Flowers are yellow, 3-5 mm long, peduncles are pubescent. Calyx composed of 5 (6) deeply lobed sepals, lanceolate, obtuse, pubescent, 2-3 mm length; corolla composed of 5 (6) free petals, alternate with the sepals, entire, 2.2-4 mm length; stamens are 10-18 in two series, poral dehiscence; filaments more or less a fifth of the anther; anther is linear, 1.8-2 mm long, inconspicuous and sterile in female flowers. Ovary 2-3 lobes, glabrous; styles 2-3, fused at base. Fruit a spherical berry, smooth, 2-3 locular, joined to the receptacle, dark violet, rarely white, 5-6 mm in diameter. Seeds 2 per locule, 1 convex face and 2 flat faces, brown, 2.5 mm long"  (ICS-UNIDO Medical and Aromatic Plants online).

Habitat/ecology:  "Prefers moist places with rich organic earths. It is a colonising species in disturbed areas and on some occasions generates monospecific associations. It is tolerant to different soil types and can grow in direct sun or semishade"  (ICS-UNIDO Medical and Aromatic Plants online).

Propagation:  Seed, dispersed by birds.

Native range:  Chile (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 551)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 551)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (continental) Chile	Chile (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011) Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, La Araucania, Los Lagos, Maule, O'Higgins, Santiago, Valparaiso.
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)

Additional information:
Photos and other information from Chileflora.

Additional online information about Aristotelia chilensis is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Aristotelia chilensis as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Aristotelia chilensis may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John. 2011. Naturalized species in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile. Unpublished spreadsheet.

Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido. 2006. Nouveau catalogue de la flore vaculaire de l'archipel Juan Fernández (Chile) [Nuevo catálogo de la flora vacular del Archipélago Juan Fernández (Chile)]. Acta Bot. Gallica 153(4):399-587.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2011. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.