Geoffroea decorticans 9347
Author: (John Gillies (1792-1834) ex William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865) & George Arnott Walker Arnott (1799-1868)) Arturo Eduardo Burkart (1906-1975)Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Papilionoideae Tribe: Dalbergieae
Genus: Geoffroea
English name: Chanar
Zone: Chile
Description
This species is from the northern half of Chile and Argentina, as far as Rio Negro, west to Buenos Aires and south to Uruguay. Also present in Paraguay and southern Bolivia. The altitudinal range is 125-2550m above sea level. It occurs in dry open area. It is present in the Gran Chaco vegetation areas, often near water. This species tolerates highly alkaline soils and is the last tree to disappear from the dried up salt marshes of the western Chaco. It withstands temporary water logging, such as the seasonal flooding in the Chaco. It is a woody weed, with clonal roots forming pure populations or 'islets', in which a central bigger tree is surrounded by several concentric rings of progressively younger individuals.
Geoffroea decorticans Observed in Argentina by Eduardo Alfredo (license)
Botanical Description
This is a tree or shrub, 2-12m tall. The diameter at breast height to 60cm. The bark is flaking or peeling off in scrolls to show patches of young green inner bark beneath. The branches and twigs are often armed with spines, spines 6-53mm. The twigs are often spine-tipped, the youngest twigs densely to sparsely pubescent. The stipules are present in seedlings only, none seen in the mature plant, presumably very early caducous.
The leaves are with a rachis 5-80mm, channelled above, sparsely and shortly pubescent. The petiole is 2-21mm. The petiolules are to 0.5mm or leaflets sessile. There are 5-11 leaflets, oblong-elliptic to narrowly so, the apex rounded or occasionally truncate, the base rounded, 2-29x1-13mm. The terminal leaflet is generally larger, 3-31 x 2-11mm, shortly pubescent to glabrous above and beneath. The veins are reticulate, midvein usually prominent beneath.
The racemes are in groups of 1-7 from short brachyblasts, the inflorescence axis 5-80mm long, shortly pubescent, 4-35-flowered. The peduncle is 1-19mm. The bracts are ovate, cupped, 1-2 x 1mm, densely pubescent. The pedicels are very slender, 2-12mm, with short hairs, glabrescent towards the base. The bracteoles are occasionally present, circa 1mm, filiform to subulate, pubescent. The flowers are erect, 6-10mm, usually flowering before the leaves appear, or when they are immature. The calyx is 2-5mm, teeth broad, triangular, 0.5-1mm long, pubescent to densely so. The standard is orbicular, blade 6-7.5 x 6.5-8mm, claw 1.5-2mm. The wing blade is 6-8.5 x 3-5.5mm, the claw 2.5-3mm. The keel is shorter than the wings, blade 4-5.5 x 2-2.5mm, claw 2.5-3mm. The stamens are fused to 0.5-1.2mm. The vexillary stamen is the shortest, 3-4mm. The central stamen is the longest, 5-6mm. The anthers are circa 0.5mm. The gynoecium is about as long as the androecium, 5-6mm. The style is glabrous. The ovary is sparsely hairy. There are 4 ovules.
The fruit is ellipsoid to globose, or almond-shaped and slightly flattened, 12-30 x 10-24mm, glabrous. The seed is dark red when dry.
The leaves are with a rachis 5-80mm, channelled above, sparsely and shortly pubescent. The petiole is 2-21mm. The petiolules are to 0.5mm or leaflets sessile. There are 5-11 leaflets, oblong-elliptic to narrowly so, the apex rounded or occasionally truncate, the base rounded, 2-29x1-13mm. The terminal leaflet is generally larger, 3-31 x 2-11mm, shortly pubescent to glabrous above and beneath. The veins are reticulate, midvein usually prominent beneath.
The racemes are in groups of 1-7 from short brachyblasts, the inflorescence axis 5-80mm long, shortly pubescent, 4-35-flowered. The peduncle is 1-19mm. The bracts are ovate, cupped, 1-2 x 1mm, densely pubescent. The pedicels are very slender, 2-12mm, with short hairs, glabrescent towards the base. The bracteoles are occasionally present, circa 1mm, filiform to subulate, pubescent. The flowers are erect, 6-10mm, usually flowering before the leaves appear, or when they are immature. The calyx is 2-5mm, teeth broad, triangular, 0.5-1mm long, pubescent to densely so. The standard is orbicular, blade 6-7.5 x 6.5-8mm, claw 1.5-2mm. The wing blade is 6-8.5 x 3-5.5mm, the claw 2.5-3mm. The keel is shorter than the wings, blade 4-5.5 x 2-2.5mm, claw 2.5-3mm. The stamens are fused to 0.5-1.2mm. The vexillary stamen is the shortest, 3-4mm. The central stamen is the longest, 5-6mm. The anthers are circa 0.5mm. The gynoecium is about as long as the androecium, 5-6mm. The style is glabrous. The ovary is sparsely hairy. There are 4 ovules.
The fruit is ellipsoid to globose, or almond-shaped and slightly flattened, 12-30 x 10-24mm, glabrous. The seed is dark red when dry.
Useful plant
The wood is used locally for tool handles, small furniture items, and is favored for making small ornamental boxes. The wood makes a good fuel and is used for making charcoal.
Edible plant
The fruit is edible, and sometimes made into jam or used in flavoring wine.
Medicinal plant
The bark, combined with honey or sugar, has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds. An infusion of the leaves has been used as an emollient and to control asthma.
References
- A revision of Geoffroea (Leguminoscw-Papilionoideae), Ireland, H; Pennington, R T. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 1999 Vol. 56(3) pag. 329-347. Address
- Arid Zone Trees : Geoffroea decorticans. Address
- Useful Tropical Plants. Geoffroea decorticans
Edible plant
The fruit is edible, and sometimes made into jam or used in flavoring wine.
Medicinal plant
The bark, combined with honey or sugar, has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds. An infusion of the leaves has been used as an emollient and to control asthma.
References
- A revision of Geoffroea (Leguminoscw-Papilionoideae), Ireland, H; Pennington, R T. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 1999 Vol. 56(3) pag. 329-347. Address
- Arid Zone Trees : Geoffroea decorticans. Address
- Useful Tropical Plants. Geoffroea decorticans
References for the genus
- A revision of Geoffroea (Leguminoscw-Papilionoideae), Ireland, H; Pennington, R T. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 1999 Vol. 56(3) pag. 329-347. Address
General specifications
Biological type: tree
Frost resistance: 14ºF
Leaf color: dark green
Flower color: yellow
Reproduction mode: hermaphrodite Plant whoes flowers produce both male and female gametes
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Least Concern
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 26,2ft x 19,6ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h Foliage: deciduous
Growth: fast
Flowering time from August until October
Ripe fruits in October
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 30%Compost+30%Coco+40%Sand
Plant watering: 1x a week pH 6.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Trees; forestry plate 8cm, forestry pot 3L, container 6L, container 55L, container 110L, container 240L
Propagation is done by cuttings
Units in the garden: 1x
Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 100-10000mm
Frost resistance: 14ºF
Leaf color: dark green
Flower color: yellow
Reproduction mode: hermaphrodite Plant whoes flowers produce both male and female gametes
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Least Concern
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 26,2ft x 19,6ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h Foliage: deciduous
Growth: fast
Flowering time from August until October
Ripe fruits in October
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 30%Compost+30%Coco+40%Sand
Plant watering: 1x a week pH 6.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Trees; forestry plate 8cm, forestry pot 3L, container 6L, container 55L, container 110L, container 240L
Propagation is done by cuttings
Units in the garden: 1x
Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 100-10000mm
Sowing instructions
SPRING Soak the seeds in ambient water for 12h. Keep in refrigerator at 39°F for 10 weeks in humid substrat. Sow the seeds at 15mm depth in the Well Drained Seed Sowing Mix between 68-77°F. During germination keep the substrate moist and in daylight.
The average weight per seed is 3,1688g.
Germination references
- Temperature and light requirements for Geoffroea decorticans germination, M. G. Pece, M. T. Sobrero & M. M. Acosta. Seed Technology 2013 Vol. 35(2) pag. 253-260. JStor
The average weight per seed is 3,1688g.
Germination references
- Temperature and light requirements for Geoffroea decorticans germination, M. G. Pece, M. T. Sobrero & M. M. Acosta. Seed Technology 2013 Vol. 35(2) pag. 253-260. JStor
Experiences in the garden
25-10-16A Obtaining seeds from seed provider Chile Flora Seeds collected in '....'. (Cultivated from unknown origin)
28-12-16 Send a batch to nursery Arven, they did not geminate.
. . . 2018B Collection of seeds in 'Pérouse18>Perouse' collected at 01-10-15. (Wild origin)
06-02-18 Sown seeds in a tray, they did not geminate.
Protocol: Spring Strat Hum 10wk 15mm Sowing mix+Sand 50-59°F Damp substrate+Light
25-03-19C Obtaining 41 plants from nursery BRL, they are in our nursery Ombr15d 23x C6 Resin9 11x A45 and planted in zone(s) JTChile (Cultivated from unknown origin)
11-01-21 4x Dead plant: No information: Ombr15d C6.
29-11-23 2x Dead plant because of watering problem: Resin9 A45.