Schinus latifolia broadleaf Chilean pepper tree

A characteristic evergreen of the Chilean matorral, this rarest of our Schinus species bears simple leaves, as in compatriot Schinus polygama, but they are broadly oval: latifolia means wide- or broad-leaved. The midrib arches, sending out widely spaced lateral veins that stand out particularly on the underside, each one ending in a rough tooth. Add to this the handsomely undulating margins and a delicious resinous fragrance when the foliage is crushed, and the plant becomes unmistakable once you know it. Small flowers with 4 or 5 white petals emerge in March and April, developing into dry, peppercorn-like fruits.

Four untended, shrubby specimens can be found at the Carnegie Institution, scattered along the north boundary fence of the property. Next to one of them a seedling appears to have sprung up by a dripping irrigation emitter. Another sprawling shrub of about the same size grows at the fence just south of Ventura Hall, near Panama Street. These may be remnants of Chilean-themed planting experiments conducted by Prof. Harold Mooney, perhaps dating to the 1980s; his work explored the parallels between Chilean matorral and California chaparral.