''Escallonia myrtilloides'' is an evergreen shrub or tree in the

Escalloniaceae Escalloniaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 130 species in seven genera. In the APG II system it is one of eight families in the euasterids II clade (campanulids) that are unplaced as to order. More recent research has prov ...

family, native to open montane wet forests and paramos from Costa Rica to Bolivia. It occurs at elevations between .

Description

Trees or shrubs from high, with irregular to conical shaped crown and branches growing almost horizontally, giving the tree the appearance of a Chinese pagoda. Leaves dark green, leathery,

obovate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular ...

, of long, wide; borne on short twigs. Inflorescences in corymbs of long; flowers greenish white to pale yellow; fruits green, ca. wide, with numerous seeds.

Distribution and habitat

The species is found in high Andean wet forests, open areas and paramos, and is often dominant on rocky slopes.

Uses

''Escallonia myrtilloides'' furnishes a reddish wood, with resistance to tension and shocks and easy drying. Because of this, it is useful for fences and woodcrafts. The tree has an ornamental quality due to its distinctive crown shape, and is also used for hedges.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1366785 Trees of Peru Trees of Costa Rica Trees of Bolivia Trees of Colombia Trees of Ecuador Trees of Venezuela Trees of Panama myrtilloides