Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides

Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides is an evergreen tree or shrub reaching up to 15 m (50 ft) in height with a trunk which can reach a diameter of over 2 m (80 in). The genus Archidasyphyllum, to which the species belongs, is unusual in being one of the few genera of Asteraceae to include species which are trees, rather than herbs or shrubs. The soft, thin, brown bark is deeply fissured with longitudinal cracks. The glossy, leathery, leaves, dark green above and paler on the underside and borne alternately, are elliptical in shape with entire margins, and acute apices bearing a single, terminal spine. They are 2–6 cm in length and 1-2.5 cm wide, glabrous on both surfaces and pubescent on the margins, the petioles are 1–4 mm in length.Rodríguez, R. O. Matthei & M. Quezada. 1983. Flora Arbórea de Chile. Editorial de la Universidad de Concepción. Concepción, Chile. 408 pp.

Provided with two thorns (modified stipules), deciduous at the base of the leaves, the flowers are clustered in inflorescences (terminal Flower heads) resembling the hard, scaly flower heads of the familiar, European wildflowers the knapweeds (also members of the Asteraceae). The flowers are white and hermaphrodite, 5 stamens with the anthers attached. The fruit is a cylindrical achene about 3-3.5 mm long and 1 mm wide, pubescent, reddish pappi 5 mm long.

The synonymous genus name, Dasyphyllum, is a compound of the Greek elements δασύς ( dasus ) 'hairy' and φύλλον ( phyllon ) 'leaf', while the specific name diacanthoides means 'resembling (Greek suffix -ό-εἶδος (o-eidos) ) plants of the genus Diacantha ', the name of which is a compound of the Greek elements δύο ( duo ) 'two' and ἄκανθα ( acantha ) 'thorn' / 'spine'. The scientific name in its entirety thus means 'the hairy-leaved plant resembling the plant bearing spines in pairs'.Cunliffe, Richard John A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, pub. Blackie and Son Ltd. 1924.

[Note: Diacantha is a synonym of the genus Barnadesia - to which the genus Dasyphyllum is closely related.]

Despite its inconspicuous flowers, of little ornamental value, the plant is occasionally grown as a street tree in urban areas of Argentina, because of its dense crown of evergreen foliage.https://www.arbolesurbanos.com.ar/ Retrieved at 9.17 on 27/6/22.

File:Comparison of young foliage of Latua pubiflora ( left ) with that of Dasyphyllum diacanthoides ( right ), showing ease of confusion.jpg (on the left). Note : 1.) Dasyphyllum stem spines borne in pairs, while Latua stem spines borne singly 2.) Dasyphyllum leaves bear terminal spine not present in leaves of Latua. 3.) Dasyphyllum leaves soon become more leathery than those of Latua as they mature.]]

The bark of Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides is used in its native Chile as a folk remedy (both topical and oral) for blunt trauma:1897 Enrique Espinoza Plantas Medicinales de Chile, Fragmento de la Cuarta Edicion de la Jeografia Descriptiva de la Republica de Chile

Estudio estractado de diversos autores, como Gay, Vasquez, Murillo i Gajardo. , Santiago de Chile, Imprenta i Encuadernacion Barcelona. Moneda, entre Estado i San Antonio. p.10 (as Flotowia diacanthoides)

Palo santo or Palo blanco (Flotowia diacanthoides) .— It grows from Ñuble to Valdivia.

The bark is used against bruises and blows, either by taking it as an infusion or applying it as external use. It also dissolves warts.

One of his [ Philippi's informant Señor Juan Renous's ] woodcutters had suffered a strong blow with the blunt end of his axe and went into the forest to get some bark of tayu for it. He took instead latúe [Latua] and drank a concoction of this poison. He became insane almost immediately and wandered into the mountains. He was found three days later in an unconscious state. Several days were required for his recovery, although he suffered severe headaches for several months.Philippi, R.A., 1861, Descripción de un Nuevo Jénero de Plantas de la familia de las Solanáceas Anales de la Universidad de Chile Vol. XVIII (3)

The unusual Asteraceae subfamily Barnadesioideae, to which the genus Archidasyphyllum belongs, has yielded phenolic compounds, flavonoids and triterpenoids.Ccana-Ccapatinta, Gari & Monge, Marcelo & Ferreira, Paola & Da Costa, Fernando. (2017). Chemistry and medicinal uses of the subfamily Barnadesioideae (Asteraceae). Phytochemistry Reviews. 10.1007/s11101-017-9544-y. Retrieved 10.18am on 21/5/19.

File:Nova genera ac species plantarum, quas in regno Chilensi Peruviano et in terra Amazonica (Pl. 032) (8618413269).jpg|Coloured plate (under older name of Flotovia diacanthoides) from botanical work on Chilean plants by Poeppig and Endlicher

File:Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides (Less.) P.L.Ferreira, Saavedra & Groppo - hairy shoot.jpg|Young, non-flowering, Autumn shoot showing hairiness of young foliage - as described in Greek-derived genus name

File:Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides - undersides of leaves.jpg|Undersides of leathery, mature leaves, showing terminal spines and characteristic venation

File:Infructescence (fruiting head) of Dasyphyllum diacanthoides.jpg|Young infructescence, showing withered, brown florets

File:Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides - fruits ready for wind-dispersal.jpg|Fruiting shoot: infructescence open to reveal pappus-tufted fruits ready for wind-dispersal

File:Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides - pappus-tufted fruits starting to be dispersed by wind.jpg|Pappus-tufted fruits starting to be dispersed by the wind

File:Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides empty calyx.jpg|Empty involucre of hairy, brown bracts after wind dispersal of all pappus-tufted fruits

File:Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides bursting Spring leaf buds.jpg|Bursting Spring leaf buds of flowering shoots

File:Archidasyphyllum diacanthoides, main trunk of young shrub.jpg|Main trunk (circa 1cm diameter) of young (circa 5yrs) cultivated shrub. Note remains of cauliflorous infructescence (top right)

File:Dasyphyllum diacanthoides Corteza ( image cropped and brightened ).jpg|Peeling bark of mature trunk of full-grown arborescent specimen, (circa 9m)
Curacautín, Chile

Dasyphyllum diacanthoides arbol (image brightened and cropped ).jpg|Crown of full-grown arborescent specimen growing in Curacautín, Chile

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• {{cite web |title=Dasyphyllum diacanthoides|work=Enciclopedia de la Flora Chilena | url=http://www.florachilena.cl/Niv_tax/Angiospermas/Ordenes/Asterales/Asteraceae/Dasyphyllum/diacanthoides/Trevo.htm|accessdate=2010-04-07}}
• {{cite web |title=Dasyphyllum diacanthoides|work=Chilebosque | url=http://www.chilebosque.cl/tree/ddiac.html|accessdate=2010-04-07}}

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Category:Barnadesioideae

Category:Flora of the Chilean Matorral

Category:Endemic flora of Chile

Category:Trees of Chile

Category:Trees of Mediterranean climate

Category:Drought-tolerant trees

Category:Trees of mild maritime climate

Category:Medicinal plants