Ugni molinae Turcz., Myrtaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Eugenia ugni Hook. & Arn.; Myrtus molinae Barnéoud ex Gay; Myrtus ugni Molina

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Chilean guava, strawberry myrtle

French: goyavier du Chili

Spanish: murta, murta blanca, murtilla, tautau, ugni, uñi

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Aromatic bushy shrub, 1-2 m high, often suckering profusely. Shoots often reddish when young, later deep brown, densely clothed in short hairs at first. Petiole < 6 mm long, hairy. Lamina 0.7-3.4 x 0.6-2.8 cm, longer and narrower on juvenile shoots, usually broad-ovate to suborbicular, sometimes ovate to elliptic, coriaceous, pale below, dark shining green above, recurved at margins; glabrous except for midrib beneath at first; base rounded to subcordate; apex acute to obtuse. Pedicels 1-1.5 cm long, hairy or nearly glabrous, slender, curved downwards. Bracteoles 3-4.3 mm long, linear-lanceolate. Flowers pendent. Calyx lobes 3-4 mm long, lanceolate to ± triangular. Petals 5-7 mm long, pale pink, imbricate, concave, forming a campanulate corolla. Stamens unequal, < style and petals. Fruit 8-14 mm in diameter, almost globular, rose, becoming dark purplish red; flesh white, sweet"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 869).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Zealand, "long-established planted bushes in moderate to high rainfall areas have an extensive suckering system and are sometimes semi-wild"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 869).  In Chile (native), "low altitude, interior valleys.  Humid areas, with almost constant rainfall, short dry periods are possible (generally not longer than 1 month). In shadow; steep slopes facing south or a vegetation cover which filters 40-80% of light"  (Chileflora).

Propagation:  Seed?, suckers.

Native range:  Argentina, 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	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 221)
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) (pp. 462, 466, 558)
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) (pp. 462, 466, 558)

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)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 869)

Additional information:
Photos and other information from Chileflora.

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

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

Taxonomic information about Ugni molinae 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.

Belov, Michail. 2011. Chileflora (online resource).

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.

Skottsberg, Carl. 1953. The natural history of Juan Fernandez and Easter Island. Vol. II, Botany. Almqvist &l; Wiksells, Uppsala. 960 pp.

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

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.