Laurelia sempervirens

Laurelia sempervirens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Laurales
Family: Atherospermataceae
Genus: Laurelia
Species:
L. sempervirens
Binomial name
Laurelia sempervirens
Synonyms[2]
  • Atherosperma sempervirens (Ruiz & Pav.) Baill.
  • Laurelia aromatica Juss. ex Poir.
  • Laurelia serrata Bertero
  • Pavonia sempervirens Ruiz & Pav.
  • Theyga chilensis Molina
  • Thiga chilensis Molina

Laurelia sempervirens is a species of evergreen tree in the family Atherospermataceae (formerly Monimiaceae). Common names include Peruvian nutmeg,[3] tihue or trihue (from the Mapuche language), and Chilean laurel[4] or Chilean sassafras.

It is endemic to Chile, occurring at 34–41° south latitude. It requires a warm subtropical to tropical climate that is cool but also frost-free or with only very slight winter frosts not below −4 °C (25 °F), with high summer heat, rainfall and humidity. It grows best on well-drained, slightly acidic soils rich in organic matter. This is typical laurel forest habitat. However, the southern hemisphere genus Laurelia is not closely related to the laurels (Lauraceae), despite the similarity.

The tree is known as triwe in Huilliche and laurel in Spanish.[5] It is the ritual tree of the Huilliche people of Futahuillimapu.[5]

  1. ^ González, M. (1998). "Laurelia sempervirens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T34847A9893929. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T34847A9893929.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. ^ "The Plant List".
  3. ^ "Laurelia sempervirens". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. ^ Mabberley, D.J. (1997). The plant book: A portable dictionary of the vascular plants. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521414210.
  5. ^ a b Rumian Cisterna, Salvador (2020-09-17). Gallito Catrilef: Colonialismo y defensa de la tierra en San Juan de la Costa a mediados del siglo XX (M.Sc. thesis) (in Spanish). University of Los Lagos.