Mocollo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mocollo |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Myrceugenia |
| Species: |
M. leptospermoides
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| Binomial name | |
| Myrceugenia leptospermoides (DC) Kausel.
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The Myrceugenia leptospermoides is a special kind of small tree or big bush. It belongs to the Myrceugenia group of plants and is part of the Myrtaceae family. People often call it mocollo, murtilla del malo, or chequen. This plant is only found in one place: central Chile. It grows near rivers in the coastal mountains, usually below 300 meters (about 984 feet) in height.
What the Mocollo Plant Looks Like
The mocollo plant can grow up to about 3 meters (10 feet) tall. Its bark is a light grayish-brown color. The leaves are small and grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem. When new twigs first grow, they are covered in soft hairs, but these hairs soon fall off.
The leaves are about 15 millimeters (0.6 inches) long and 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide. They are shaped like a long oval or a line with a slightly rounded tip. Their edges are smooth. The top side of the leaves is grayish-green, and the bottom side is yellowish-green. You can see a clear line (called a midrib) on the underside of the leaf.
The flowers grow by themselves where the leaves meet the stem. They have short stems. The green parts that protect the flower bud (called calyx lobes) can sometimes be a bit hairy. Each flower has six white petals. In the middle of the flower, there are many stamens (the parts that make pollen), usually between sixty and ninety of them, and one style (the part that receives pollen).
After the flowers, the plant grows round fruits called berries. These berries are about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) wide. They start red and then turn purple when they are fully ripe. The mocollo plant flowers from February to March, and its fruits are ready in July and August.
Where the Mocollo Plant Lives
The Myrceugenia leptospermoides plant is special because it only grows in the coastal areas of Chile. You can find it from the Ñuble Region down to Cautín Province. It likes places that are wet or misty. Often, it grows with other small bushes near rivers, lakes, or on damp hillsides in forests. It usually lives at heights up to about 300 meters (984 feet).
This plant is not very common. Because of this, experts say it is an "endangered" species, meaning it is at risk of disappearing.
See also
In Spanish: Myrceugenia leptospermoides para niños
