Phytolacca dioica: taxon details and analytics

Domain
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Family
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Phytolacca
Species
Phytolacca dioica
Scientific Name
Phytolacca dioica

Summary description from Wikipedia:

Phytolacca dioica

Phytolacca dioica, commonly known as ombú in Spanish and umbu in Portuguese, is a massive evergreen tree in the Pokeweed Family (Phytolaccaceae) native to the Pampas of South America. As its specific epithet suggests, it is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. The flowers are pollinated by the butterfly Doxocopa laurentia. It has an umbrella-like canopy that spreads to a diameter of 12 to 15 meters (39 to 49 ft) and can attain a height of 12 to 18 meters (39 to 59 ft). This upper growth springs up from a tuberous caudex which, according to Everett "may occupy a circle sixty feet [18 meters] in diameter". One tree of such a size—mentioned by Anglo-Argentine writer William Henry Hudson in his autobiography Far Away and Long Ago—was 50 feet (15 m) girth above the caudex. Another large specimen, observed in 1867 by David Christison, at Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, measured "32 feet (9.8 m) in girth...clear of the projecting buttresses". Because it is derived from herbaceous ancestors, its trunk consists of anomalous secondary thickening rather than true wood. As a result, the ombú grows fast but its wood is soft and spongy enough to be cut with a knife. These properties have led it to be used in the art of bonsai, as it is easily manipulated to create the desired effect. Since the sap is poisonous, the ombú is not grazed by cattle and is immune to locusts and other pests. For similar reasons, the leaves are sometimes used as a laxative or purgative. It is a symbol of Uruguay, Rio Grande do Sul and Argentina, and of gaucho culture, as its canopy is quite distinguishable from afar and provides comfort and shelter from sun and rain.

This tree is categorized in the same genus as the North American pokeweed. The species is also cultivated in Southern California as a shade tree. Ombú has been declared as a minor invasive species (category 3) in South Africa, where it is widely planted.

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Phytolacca dioica in languages:

Afrikaans
Bobbejaandruifboom
Afrikaans
belambra
Afrikaans
belambraboom
Afrikaans
belhambra
Afrikaans
belhambraboom
Afrikaans
belhamelboom
Afrikaans
bella sombra
Afrikaans
belombra
Afrikaans
belombraboom
Afrikaans
koeliedruif
Catalan
Bellaombra
Chinese
樹商陸
Czech
líčidlo stromovité
English
Ombu
English
Belhambra
English
Belhambra Treee
English
Bella Ombre
English
Omboe
English
Umbo
English
Umbra Tree
French
Belombra
German
Zweihäusige Kermesbeere
Italian
Cremesina arborea
Portuguese
Bela-sombra
Portuguese
Umbú
Russian
Лаконос двудомный

Images from inaturalist.org observations:

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Phytolacca dioica
©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Horacio Sirolli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Cory Whitney, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Cory Whitney, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Luis Prevedel, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Luis Prevedel, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Luis Prevedel, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Luis Prevedel, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Luis Prevedel, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©miyamcleod, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Kevin Cornwall, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Tomás Carranza Perales, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©James Wetterer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Facundo Varela Barros, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Micael De Bona, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Micael De Bona, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Micael De Bona, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Micael De Bona, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Micael De Bona, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Micael De Bona, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©demianlescano, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©embrenhar, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Enrique Cenoz, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©kenbehrens, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Lucía, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©anura, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©anura, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©anura, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©sgplantsanimalsinsects, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©sgplantsanimalsinsects, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©silenziu, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©silenziu, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©mathiasiglesias, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Sebastián, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Sebastián, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Daniel Mederer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Daniel Mederer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Daniel Mederer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Daniel Mederer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Jens-Christian Svenning, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Leandro Segovia, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Leandro Segovia, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Elizabeth.6919, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Elizabeth.6919, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Namhla, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Namhla, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Pablo Preliasco, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Elizabeth.6919, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Elizabeth.6919, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Elizabeth.6919, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Catherine Parker, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Hugo, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Hugo, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Martin Bennett, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Nicole Loebenberg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Malena Lorente, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Malena Lorente, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Anabela Plos, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©markus lilje, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-ND)
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©Lucila Boasso, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Margaret Burger, some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA)
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©swafford, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Gustavo Herrera, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Feli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Blas Fandiño, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Blas Fandiño, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Jeremias Ponte, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©diego, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©diego, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©diego, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Al Schotz, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Lucas, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©el-naturalista, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Guardaparques Laguna Garzón, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-ND)
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©vinicius_s_domingues, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©vinicius_s_domingues, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Antonela Boggian, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Yasmin Hernández, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Yasmin Hernández, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Craig Peter, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Joaquín Lapetina, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Bruce Esau, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Danielly Cortes, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Danielly Cortes, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©aargon, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©aargon, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
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©Leonardo Adrián LEIVA, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Craig Peter, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Christian Gilli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Christian Gilli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Christian Gilli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Christian Gilli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
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©Christian Gilli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)