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Boquila is a genus with a single species, Boquila trifoliolata, a woody climbing vine from the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina, known for mimicking the leaves of the plants it climbs. It is grown as a curiosity and needs cool, shaded, humus-rich conditions with moderate moisture.
Boquila is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lardizabalaceae, endemic to temperate forests of central and southern Chile and Argentina. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species Boquila trifoliolata, locally known as voqui blanco or pilpil in its native range, or the chameleon vine since a 2014 report on leaf mimicry. The species was first described in 1782 by Juan Ignacio Molina, and the genus was established in 1839 by Joseph Decaisne. B. trifoliolata forms non-parasitic vines that wind around host plants, using them for structure and protection. B. trifoliolata is monoecious, a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. Its flowers are off-white and it bears an edible fruit. The vine has been historically used in rope and basket making.
The Boquila genus is endemic to the temperate rainforests, Nothofagus forests, and evergreen forests of southern Argentina and Chile, ranging from Cauquenes to Chiloe. B. trifoliolata is most commonly found between 100 metres (330 ft) to 600 metres (2,000 ft) in elevation. Unlike many other species of vines, B. trifoliolata is not parasitic. Instead, it only attaches to trees for protection and structure, sometimes forming thickets over 6 metres (20 ft) in height. B. trifoliolata can survive temperatures as low as −8 °C (18 °F) and prefers soil rich in humus. The species is resistant to wilting, but generally prefers to grow in shaded environments.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Boquila by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
