Escallonia resinosa (Chachacomo)

Native to the Andes from Ecuador to Bolivia, this evergreen shrub or tree grows in mountain forests and can develop a knotty, twisted trunk with a rounded crown. Its reddish outer bark peels in thin, papery sheets. Narrow, finely toothed leaves often cluster near the branch tips and feel slightly sticky when fresh. Small white flowers with five petals form branching clusters, followed by dry capsules containing numerous seeds. Its hard wood has long been used for tools and other practical objects. Photographed in Colombia.