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Aristotelia chilensis

Maqui
Maqui chileno.jpg
Maqui Tree with fruits
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Elaeocarpaceae
Genus: Aristotelia
Species: A. chilensis
Binomial name
Aristotelia chilensis
(Molina) Stuntz
Synonyms
  • Cornus chilensis Molina
  • Aristotelia macqui L'Hér.

Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui or Chilean wineberry) is a species of the Elaeocarpaceae family native to the Valdivian temperate rainforests of Chile and adjacent regions of southern Argentina. Maqui is sparsely cultivated.

Maqui is a small dioecious tree reaching 4–5 m in height and is evergreen. Its divided trunk has a smooth bark. The branches are abundant, thin and flexible. The leaves are simple, opposite, hanging, oval-lanceolate, with serrated edges, naked and coriaceous. The leaf venation is well visible and the leaf stalk is strong red. In the beginning of spring, the tree sheds the old cohort. The old cohort is used as a carbohydrate source to form the new leaves and flowers.

Maqui flowers at the end of spring. The white flowers are unisexual and small. They yield a small edible fruit. A tree at the age of seven years produces up to 10 kg berries per year. The small, purple-black berries are approximately 4–6 mm in diameter and contain 4-8 angled seeds. With a taste similar to blackberries, maqui is also known as the Chilean wineberry, and locally in Spanish as maqui or maque.

The main area of wild maqui can be found in the Chilean forests. It includes the Coquimbo and Aysén regions and is 170,000 hectares in total area. The average area yield is about 220 kg per hectare annually, with estimated yield of only 90 tons due to its remote access and difficulty for transportation.

The berries are collected from December to March each year by families, mainly Mapuche who collect their harvest near the Andes Mountains. The process involves collecting the side branches of trees, shaking them to separate the berries, and then employing a mechanical process to separate berries from leaves. The stored fruits are sold in local markets, with prices ranging from US $0.65-1.50 per 100 grams.


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