Aristotelia is a genus of trees and shrubs in the family Elaeocarpaceae, order Oxalidales, comprising around 18 species. The genus spans two widely separated regions: South America (principally Chile and Argentina) and Australasia (New Zealand and southeastern Australia). Most species are small to medium evergreen shrubs or trees, typically dioecious — individual plants bear either male or female flowers — and pollinated by bees and other insects.
The best-known member is Aristotelia chilensis (maqui or macqui), an evergreen shrub native to Chile and Argentina that grows to about 3 metres tall. It produces small dark berries roughly 6 mm in diameter that are eaten raw or dried and have a flavour reminiscent of bilberries. The maqui berry has a long history of use by indigenous Mapuche people and has attracted commercial interest for its high anthocyanin content. Aristotelia serrata (wineberry or makomako) and Aristotelia fruticosa (mountain wineberry) are native to New Zealand, where they are common colonisers of disturbed ground and forest margins. Aristotelia peduncularis (heart berry) is native to southeastern Australia.
The genus is placed in Elaeocarpaceae, a family of flowering plants that also includes the genera Elaeocarpus and Crinodendron. The name Aristotelia honours the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, celebrated as an observer and classifier of the natural world.
Etymology
The genus name Aristotelia was given in honour of Aristotle (384–322 BC), the ancient Greek philosopher renowned as an observer and classifier of the natural world.
Distribution
The genus is distributed across two disjunct regions: South America (Chile and Argentina, primarily between latitudes 31° and 40° south) and Australasia (New Zealand and southeastern Australia). Aristotelia chilensis occurs in Chilean coastal and Andean foothills habitats; the New Zealand species (A. serrata, A. fruticosa, A. colensoi) occupy a range of lowland to montane forest and scrub environments.
Ecology
Aristotelia chilensis grows as a weedy shrub of cleared forests and waste ground, favouring damp, humus-rich soils on lower mountain hillsides by rivers. It cannot grow in shade and requires moist, well-drained conditions. Flowers are attractive to bees and other insects; fruits are consumed by birds, which assist seed dispersal.
Cultivation
Aristotelia chilensis prefers slightly acid, moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun with shelter from cold drying winds. It tolerates maritime exposure but is only reliably hardy in mild, moist climates. Being dioecious, both a male and a female plant must be grown to obtain fruit. Plants cut back by winter frost typically regenerate vigorously in spring.
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown in spring in a heated greenhouse; pot seedlings individually and grow under protection through at least the first winter before planting out after last frost. Alternatively, take cuttings of half-ripe wood in July or August, or cuttings of mature current-season growth in early winter (15–30 cm); these root readily and can be potted up in early summer for planting out the following spring.
Cultural Uses
The berries of Aristotelia chilensis (maqui) have been harvested and eaten raw or dried by indigenous Mapuche people of Chile and Argentina for centuries. A wine made from the fruit is a traditional preparation said to have medicinal properties; the plant has also been used as an astringent, febrifuge, and poultice in the treatment of throat infections and intestinal conditions.
