Gomortega


Gomortega keule is a tree native to Chile. It is the sole species of the genus Gomortega and, according to the APG IV system of 2016, of the monotypic family Gomortegaceae, assigned to the order Laurales in the clade magnoliids.

Description

Evergreen trees, aromatic, gray bark with shallow longitudinal fissures. The leaves are deciduous, petiolate, simple, entire, obovate to lanceolate, coriaceous. The stems have unilacunar nodes and with two foliar traces. The branches are quadrangular.
The fruit is a uni or trilocular yellow drupe, usually with 1 seeds, fleshy mesocarp, pleasant, stony endocarp. There are 1-2 seeds per fruit, with abundant, oily endosperm, large embryo, dicotyledonous.
The chromosome number is n = 21, 2n = 42.

Distribution

The plant grows only in a very narrow habitat range in coastal central Chile, with an example ecoregion of occurrence being the Chilean matorral. The species is endangered of extinction due to overharvesting, clearing the forests where it is found for agriculture and silviculture.
Gomortega keule produces a yellow edible sweet fruit about in diameter, harvested for making a kind of marmalade.

The species