Metrosideros stipularis is a species of the myrtle family commonly known as tepú, trepú, or tepual. It is an evergreen tree or shrub that attains heights of about four to five metres.[2] The plant is native to southern South America in the southern portions of Chile and Argentina and is a typical resident of very wet areas, especially in swamps[3] and peat bogs and with gleyic soil horizons.[4][5] Tepú has white flowers that emerge during the austral summer from December through April, but more commonly from Frebruary to March.[6] The species is shade tolerant and grows merkedly slowly, less than 1 mm per year.[4] Mature tepú forest or tepuales have high basal areas when compared with other types of humid forests.[7] Tepú trees tend to grow horizontally and Tepú forest tend have high biomass contents.[3]
| Tepú | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Tepú in flower | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Spermatophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Metrosideros |
| Species: | M. stipularis |
| Binomial name | |
| Metrosideros stipularis | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
In some localities it grows together with Fitzroya cupressoides or with Pilgerodendron uviferum.[3] The tepu is most abundant in the Chilean provinces of Chiloé, Llanquihue and Palena.[3]
The tree's wood is hard and used within its range as a firewood due to it high energy content.[4][8] It is commonly recommended to use its firewood mixed with wood from other species given its excessive heat content that is said to be able to break kitchen stoves.[4]
This species has often been placed in its own genus Tepualia, but recent works include it in Metrosideros.[9][10]
References
edit- ↑ "Metrosideros stipularis (Hook. & Arn.) Hook.f." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
- ↑ Donoso 2007, p. 591.
- 1 2 3 4 Bannister 2018, p. 11.
- 1 2 3 4 Donoso 2007, p. 592.
- ↑ Bannister 2018, p. 34.
- ↑ Bannister 2018, p. 25.
- ↑ Bannister 2018, p. 33.
- ↑ Hoffmann, A. (1982). Flora silvestre de Chile zona araucana (in Spanish) (4th ed.). Santiago, Chile: Ediciones Fundación Claudio Gay. p. 258.
- ↑ Pillon, Yohan; Lucas, Eve; Johansen, Jennifer B.; Sakishima, Tomoko; Hall, Brian; Geib, Scott M.; Stacy, Elizabeth A. (2015). "An Expanded Metrosideros (Myrtaceae) to Include Carpolepis and Tepualia Based on Nuclear Genes" (PDF). Systematic Botany. 40 (3): 782–790. Bibcode:2015SysBo..40..782P. doi:10.1600/036364415X689249. S2CID 85810341.
- ↑ "WCSP". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.
- Bibliography
- Bannister, Jan (2018). Tepuales: Tesoro de Chiloé y la Patagonia insular (in Spanish). Instituto Forestal.
- Claudio, Donoso (2007). "Tepualia stipularis (Hook et Arn.) Griseb Tepú (=que azota)". In Donoso, Claudio (ed.). Las especies arbóreas de los bosques templados de Chile y Argentina. Autoecología (in Spanish). Valdivia, Chile: Marisa Cuneo, ediciones. pp. 591–592. ISBN 9567173273.
External links
edit
Media related to Metrosideros stipularis at Wikimedia Commons- Description and photos at Enciclopedia de la Flora Chilena (in Spanish)
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