Laurelia 1701 



LAURELIA SERRATA 



Laurelia serrata} Philippi, in Bot. Zeit. xv. 401 (1857); Castillo and Dey, Jeog. Vej. Rio Valdivia, 

 52, fig. 27 (1908); Stapf, in Bot. Mag. t. 8279 (1909)5 Perkins, in Engler, Fflanzenreich, iv. 

 1 01, Monimiacece, Suppl. 47(1911). 



Laurelia aromaiica, Masters, in Gard. Chron. xxxvi. 401, fig. 172 (1904) (not Poiret). 



A tree, attaining in Chile about 70 ft. in height. Bark greyish, smooth, with 

 persistent brown lenticels, and resembling that of Zelkova crenata. Young branch- 

 lets, with two pubescent furrows, which have slightly projecting margins. Leaves 

 coriaceous, in opposite pairs, narrowly elliptic or broadly lanceolate, averaging 

 4 to 5 in. long, and \\ to if in. wide ; tapering to an acuminate apex, usually 

 tipped with a cartilaginous point ; cuneate at the base ; lateral nerves, ten to twelve 

 pairs, dividing and looping before reaching the margin, which is entire towards the 

 base, but is elsewhere serrate, with sharp teeth directed towards the apex of the 

 leaf or slightly spreading and tipped with a glandular thickening ; both surfaces 

 glabrous, except on the slightly pubescent prominent midrib above ; petiole \^o\ in. 

 long, blackish, densely pubescent on the upper surface. 



Flowers, three to nine, in simple or panicled silky cymes ; pedicels about \ in. 

 long. Receptacle in the fruiting stage, globose but constricted at the apex, 

 ultimately splitting irregularly, ashy-grey externally; achenes ovoid, nearly \ in. 

 long, densely hirsute with spreading hairs, except at the tip of the long and per- 

 sistent style. 



L. serrata is a native of the evergreen forests of southern Chile and northern 

 Patagonia, occurring from Valdivia to the valley of the river Aysen. It is called 

 huan-huan by the inhabitants, and seems to be a smaller and rarer tree than 

 L. sempervirens ; and is said by Castillo and Dey to have an inferior wood, which 

 has an unsupportable odour when freshly cut, yet is much used. 



L. serrata was probably introduced about i860 by Pearce, who collected in 

 Chile for Messrs. Veitch. It is one of the rarest trees in cultivation, and can only 

 be propagated by seed or by layers, cuttings having always failed to take root 



at Kew. (^- "■) 



The only specimens which we have seen are the following :— At Penjernck, 

 near Falmouth, the seat of R. Fox, Esq., there is a splendid tree in perfect health 

 and looking as if it would become considerably larger, which was in flower in April, 

 191 1, when it measured 47 ft. in height and 3 ft. 4 in. in girth. Another at 

 Kilmacurragh, Co. Wicklow, is about 30 ft. by 3 ft. ; but is not so handsome. This 

 tree was procured by the late Mr. Acton from Messrs. Rollison of Tooting about 

 1868; and from it were drawn the figures cited above in the Botanical Magazine 

 and in the Gardeners Chronicle. (H. J. E.) 



1 Laurdia serrata, Bertero, in Mcrcur. Chil. 1829, manip. 15, P- 685, translated in Amer. Journ. Sd. xxiii. 89 (1833), 

 is a name without any description. 



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