Lithraea

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names
	Lithraea >

Read about Lithraea in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
Lithraea (Llilhi, the Chilean name of L. caus- tica). Anacardiaceae. Three species of evergreen S. American shrubs or small trees closely related to Schinus: lvs. alternate, simple or odd-pinnate: fls. small, greenish or whitish, in panicles; petals 5, valvate, stamens 10; disk annular in the staminate fls., cup- shaped and 10-lobed in the pistillate fls.; ovary superior, 1-celled with a basal, sessile ovule: fr. a dry subglobose drupe with a hard bony stone. The following species is occasionally cult, in S. Calif. L. molleoides, Engler (L. Aroeirinha, March.). Shrub, to 12 ft., glabrous: lvs. odd-pinnate; 1fts. 5, rarely 3, lanceolate, acute, l ½ -3 in. long; petiole 1- 1 ½in. long, like the rachis narrow-winged: panicles 2-3 in. long: fr. globose, 1/5 in' across, whitish, lustrous. S. Brazil, Argentina. Flor. Brasil. 12, 2:83. L. caustica, Miers, from Chile, has short-petioled simple, oval to ovate-oblong lvs. and pubescent panicles; it is said to be very poisonous. L. Gilliesii, Griseb. Tall shrub, 6-10 ft., the branches whitish gray, more or less dichotomous: lvs. 3-folio-' late or 5-fofiolatc; 1fts. lanceolate, the lower ones sessile, the upper narrowed below: fls. small, yellowish white, in few-fld. clusters: fr. a dry drupe. Brazil, Chile. R.H. 1914, p. 201. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.