Taxonomy and Importance of Myrtaceae

S.K. Mitra and T.K.S. Irenaeus M.R. Gurung P.K. Pathak

Faculty of Horticulture Central Agricultural North 24 Parganas KVK
Bidhan Chandra University WBUAnimal &
Krishi Viswavidyalaya Sikkim Campus Fishery Sciences
Mohanpur 741252, Nadia Sikkim Ashokenagar
West Bengal India West Bengal
India India
Keywords: Psidium, Syzygium, Eugenia, Feijoa, Acca, Myrciaria, Ugni

Abstract
The Myrtaceae or the myrtle family comprises at least 140 genera and some
3800 to 5650 species. Many important trees and shrubs belong to Myrtaceae. There
are four genera of interest which produce edible fruits: Psidium, Eugenia, Syzygium
and Feijoa. The genus Psidium contains about 150 species of which P. guajava,
P. cattleianum, P. friedrichsthalianum, P. guineense, P. littorale, P. acutangulum, etc.
are commercially important. The Eugenia is a small group in which important
species are E. brasiliensis, E. uniflora, E. victoriana, E. axillaris, E. aggregata,
E. dysenterica, E. lutescens, E. luschnathiana, etc. The Syzygium has about 500
species and most of them have originated and grow mainly in the south-east Asia.
The important species are S. jambos, S. malaccense, S. suborbiculare, S. paniculatum,
S. acqueum, S. cordatum, S. cumini, S. forte, S. Samarangense, etc. The Feijoa (Acca
sellowiana) is grown mostly in Brazil, and Uruguay. The fruit is rich in protein,
carbohydrates and fibre. The E. uniflora (pitanga) fruit pulp is a good source of
carotene and ascorbic acid. The fruits of P. guajava are considered as one of the
richest sources of antioxidant among the tropical fruits. This paper deals with the
taxonomy and importance of trees and shrubs of the Myrtaceae family.

INTRODUCTION
The Myrtaceae is an ecologically important angiosperm family containing both
trees and shrubs and has its name taken from the shrub ‘Myrtus’ which is found near the
Mediterranean in North Africa and in South America. There are about 140 genera and
between 3800 to 5650 species (Govaerts et al., 2008), an unusual occurrence that makes
the family an interesting study group for those interested in the evolution of a large taxa.
Well known genera from the Myrtaceae includes ornamentals such as Leptospernum
(Australian tea tree), Eucalyptus, Verticordia (feather flowers) and Callistemon
(bottlebrush). Economically valuable taxa of the Myrtaceae also include Eucalyptus
(timber, essential oils), Pimenta (allspice, pimento, bay rum), Psidium (guava), Syzygium
(cloves, jamun, rose apple) and Melaleuca (timber). Lesser known genera of the family
but which are of interest and economic importance include Eugenia, Acca/Feijoa,
Myrciaria, Ugni, Rhodomyrtus, etc. Many of these members of the family have
significant uses in history as edible fruits and as traditional medicines in divergent
ethnobotanical practices throughout the tropical and subtropical world.

TAXONOMY
The Myrtaceae is a dicot family in the class Rosidae which also includes the rose
and mallo families and falls into the order Myrtales along with the families Lathraceae,
Punicaceae (pomegranates) and Onagraceae (evening primroses). An unusual and
taxonomically notable trait found in the Myrtaceae involves the vascular system. In most
of the dicotyledonous plants, the food conducting cells of the vascular system, the sieve
elements of the phloem surround the water conducting cells or xylem. In young stems
another group of large cells called the pith that appear open is present inside the xylem.
Unusually some phloem is located inside the pith in species of Myrtaceae. Thus the

Proc. 3rd IS on Guava and Other Myrtaceae 23

Eds.: C.A.F. Santos et al.
Acta Hort. 959, ISHS 2012
phloem is located on both sides of the xylem, not just outside as in most other plants.
Another important character is cryptic nature (embryo structure).
The term myrtle, a common name for some species in the genus Myrtus is also
used as a common name for numerous other plants. These are not to be confused with
species from the Myrtaceae. The scientific classification or the taxonomical hierarchy is
given below.
Domain: Eukaryopta – Whittaker and Margulis, 1978 - eukaryotes
Kingdom: Plantae – Haeckel, 1866 - planta, plantes
Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae – Cavalier-Smith, 1981- green plants
Phylum: Tracheophyta - Sinnott, 1935 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1988 - vascular plants
Subphylum: Euphyllotina
Infraphylum: Radiatopses – Kenrick andd Crane, 1997
Class: Magnoliopsida – Brongniart, 1843 – ‘endicots’, ‘core dicots’, ‘dicots’,
‘dicotyledones’, ‘dicotyledons’
Subclass: Rosidae – Takhtajan, 1967
Superorder: Myrtanae
Order: Myrtales – Reichenbach, 1828
Family: Myrtaceae A.L. de Jussieu, 1789 - nom. myrtacees, myrtles
Subfamily:
Tribe:
Genus:
Species:
Myrtaceae is subdivided into two main subfamilies – the Leptospermoideae,
which is distributed mostly in Asia and Africa, and the Myrtoideae, found in tropical
America, Asia, Australia and the Pacific. Myrtoideae subfamily has fleshy fruit and
opposite leaves (Wagner et al., 1990) and Leptospermoideae has dried fruit (Cronquist,
1981). Most of the genus of edible fruits such as the Acca, Eugenia, Myrcia, Myrciaria,
Myrcenthes, Myrtus, Rhodomyrtus, Psidium, Syzygium comes under the subfamily
Myrtoideae.

General Characters
Most of the plants of Myrtaceae are either evergreen shrubs or woody trees. The
leaves produced when the plants are young tend to be round and held closely to the
branch, while leaves produced when the plants are mature are much longer and thinner.
The leaves are simple, most commonly opposite and with an entire margin, and frequently
are oil glands present and aromatic when crushed. Inflorescences are axillary or terminal,
cymose but variously arranged, 1- to many-flowered. Flowers are bisexual, sometimes
polymorphic, actinomorphic. Hypanthium usually adnate to ovary and prolonged above it.
The flowers are perianth (2 whorls), commonly with a 4-5 parted calyx and corolla, petals
may be used into an operculum; stamens usually numerous, occasionally individual
filament, sometimes united in bundles; ovary often inferior. The hypanthium grows
beside the ovary. The fruit is usually loculicidal capsule or a spherical berry or a nut.
Placentation usually axile but occasionally parietal; ovules 1 to several per locule. Style
single; stigma single. Fruit a capsule, berry drupaceous berry, or drupe, 1- to many-
seeded. Seeds without endosperm or endosperm sparse and thin; testa cartilaginous or
thinly membranous sometimes absent; embryo straight or curved.
As many species from the family have attractive glossy green leaves and colourful
flowers, it makes them popular ornamentals. Drought tolerance provides another valuable
trait for horticulture. Their resilience has a negative side in the face of drought. The
leathery leaves of myrtaceous plants are rich in highly flammable hydrocarbons and
present a fire hazard.

PSIDIUM
There are about 150 species of evergreen trees and shrubs of which the important
species are, Psidium guajava L., P. friedrichsthalianum (O. Berg.), P. cattleianum,

24
P. guineense (Swartz.), P. acutangulum and P. angulatum.

Psidium guajava L.
Origin: American Tropics but the extent of dissemination in the pre-Columbian
period is obscure.
1. Botanical Description. Psidium guajava is a large dicotyledonous shrub, or small
evergreen tree, generally 3-10 m high, many branches; stems crooked, bark light to
reddish brown, thin, smooth, continuously flaking; root system generally superficial and
very extensive, frequently extending well beyond the canopy, there are some deep roots
but no distinct taproot. Leaves opposite, simple; stipules absent, petiole short, 3-10 mm
long; blade oblong to elliptic, 5-15 × 4-6 cm, apex obtuse to bluntly acuminate, base
rounded to subcuneate, margins entire, somewhat thick and leathery, dull grey to yellow-
green above, slightly downy below, veins prominent, gland dotted.
Inflorescence, axillary, 1- to 3-flowered, pedicles about 2 cm long, bracts 2, linear.
Calyx splitting irregularly into 2-4 lobes, whitish and sparsely hairy within; petals 4-5,
white, linear-ovate 2 cm long, delicate; stamens numerous, filaments pale white, about
12 mm long, erect or spreading, anther straw coloured; ovary inferior, ovules numerous,
style about 10 cm long, stigma green, capitate. Fruit an ovoid or pear-shaped berry,
4-12 cm long, weighing up to 500 g; skin yellow when ripe, sometimes flushed with red,
pulp juicy, creamy-white or creamy-yellow to pink or red; mesocarp thick, edible, the soft
pulp enveloping numerous, cream to brown, kidney-shaped or flattened seeds. The
exterior of the fruit is fleshy, and the centre consists of a seedy pulp.
2. Economic Importance.
Food. The whole fruit is edible; flavour varies from very acid to sweet with the best fruit
being both sweet and mildly acid. It has a pleasant aroma, is very high in vitamin C (100-
300 mg/100 g of fruit), and a rich source of vitamin A and pectin (0.1-1.8%). Pectin
content increases during ripening and declines rapidly in over-ripe fruit. Processed into a
wide variety of products: canned fruit or mesocarps in sweet syrup, puree, goiabada (a
type of thick, sweet jam), jams and jellies, juices and nectars, ice cream and yoghurts.
Fuel. Wood makes excellent firewood and charcoal because of its abundance.
Timber. Sapwood light brown, heartwood brown or reddish; hard, moderately strong and
durable. It is used for tool handle, fence posts and in carpentry and turnery.
Tannin or Dye Stuff. The leaves and bark may be used for dyeing and tanning.
Essential Oil. Plant contains an essential oil. The volatile oil with methyl chavicol,
persein and d-pinene (a paraffin) is found in the leaf.
Alcohol. Wine making from the fruit has been commercialized in southern Africa.
Medicine. All parts of the young fruit are astringent. Guava exhibits antibacterial action
against intestinal pathogens such as Staphylococcus. The dried ripe fruits are
recommended as a remedy for dysentery, while the leaves and fruits are used as a cure for
diarrhoea. Oil contains bisabolene and flavinoides that exhibit anti-inflammatory
properties. A decoction of the leaves or bark is taken externally as a lotion for skin
complaints, ringworm, wounds, and ulcers. Water from soaking the fruit is good to treat
diabetes. The leaves are made into a cataplasm; cooked, they are given to horses with
strangle.

Psidium cattleianum Sabine

Common name: Strawberry guava. Other names: Cattley guava, Chinese guava,
purple guava, yellow strawberry guava, red strawberry guava, guayaba (Martin et al.,
1987).
Strawberry guava is an evergreen tree/shrub native to Brazil. Trees can grow from
9-12 m tall and have reddish, flaky bark. Leaves are opposite, oblong, glossy, entire and
up to 7.5 cm long. Flowering occurs year-round. Flowers are white 2.5 cm wide, with 4-5
petals and many stamens. Flowers can occur singly, or in groups of three, in the axils of
the leaves. Fruits are dark red, edible, 2-4 cm in diameter, globose to obovoid with thin
peel, yellow, red or purple and tipped with a protruding five-lobed calyx. The aromatic,

25
white pulp is sweet to subacid, surrounding numerous, small, hard seeds.
The tree is grown as an ornamental plant or as a hedge. Fruits are eaten fresh or
can be processed into various products such as jellies, preserves, desserts, drinks,
sherbets, puree, jam butter and paste. It can be grown in low lying degraded areas to
increase the farming potential and generate additional income (Normand, 2002).

Psidium guineense
Common name: Brazilian guava. Other names: Guayabillo, Guayaba Agria.
Origin: Southern Mexico, Argentina.
Small shrub or tree (1-9 m), hardy, successfully grown in sub-tropical climate.
Round or pear shaped fruit, rind is yellow, enclosing a white acidic pulp with a guava-
strawberry flavour. The fruit is a big berry (45-138 g), yellow-coloured when matured,
rounded and ellipsoid shaped of 6-8 cm diameter, it has a delicate pleasent flavour, a peel
like fine leather which has to be taken off since it is bitter (Manica, 2000).
Fruits are eaten fresh or mostly used to make jellies and preserves. Brazilian guava
is known for a predominance of terpene compounds and volatile compounds of aroma and
flavour (Franco and Shibamoto, 2000) and as a source of vitamin C, with a content of
approximately 400 mg/100 g fresh pulp (Andrade et al., 2002).

Psidium acutangulum
Common name: Para guava.
A shrub or small tree (7-15 m), more hardy than tropical guava, medium size
yellow fruit with very tasty translucent white-yellow pulp similar to the guava but with a
much more acidic flavour.
Fruit is eaten raw or used to flavour drink. Combined with sugar or honey to make
a lemonade like drink. Peel has high antioxidant property.

Psidium friedrichsthalianum
Small tree (10-15 m), square branchlets, glossy leaves above and pubescent below,
not as hardy as tropical guava, sulphur yellow fruit, 2.5-3 cm in diameter and acidic.
Flowers are near white or white.
Fruits are processed into jams, jellies, preserves or used as flavouring agents for
drinks. It contains water 83.2 g, 0.82 g protein, 0.44 g fat, 6.20 g carbohydrate and
22-50 mg vitamin C per 100 g of fruit.

Psidium angulatum
Small tree, leaves are alternate and oblong. Fruit has a leathery peel and persistent
calyx (Castellane, 2005).
Fruits are eaten raw or used to flavour drink, processed into ice cream, sorbet,
gelatins and candies. Peels contain compounds with high antioxidant activity. Vit. C –
389.3 mg/100 g (AECOTURIS, 2005).

Psidium littorale
Small bush or tree (6-9 m), frilly white flowers, fruits yellow, similar to the
strawberry guava except fruits are often slightly larger (2.5-8 cm), flesh yellow, fragrant,
lemon-guava like flavour. Fruits are eaten fresh, or used to flavour beverages, ice creams
and desserts.

SYZYGIUM
The genus contains about 500 species mostly in the old world originated and
grown mostly in south-east Asia. The term Syzygium is derived from the Greek word
“Syzygos” which means yoked together preferably indicating to the paired leaves.
Trees or shrubs. Branchlets sometimes 2-4-ridged, usually glabrous. Leaves
opposite or sometimes whorled, petiolate to subsessile; leaf blade densely to sometimes
sparsely pinnately veined. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, usually panicles of cymes,

26
3- to many-flowered; bracts small, caducous after flowering. Flowers stipitate or not.
Hypanthium obconic or sometimes clavate. Calyx lobes 4 or 5 or rarely more, usually
short, caducous or persistent, apex usually obtuse, rarely connate and then calyptrate.
Petals 4 or 5 or rarely more, distinct and then expanding separately or coherent and then
caducous as a unit. Stamens numerous, distinct but occasionally slightly adhering at base;
anthers minute, versatile, 2-celled, cells parallel or divergent, dehiscing longitudinally or
by a short terminal slit; connectives usually terminating in an apical gland. Ovary inferior,
2 or 3-loculed; ovules many per locule. Style linear. Fruit drupaceous, 1(or 2) -seeded.
Seeds sometimes with or without a testa often with a pseudotesta with or without
adhering to pericarp, rarely with intrusive branching tissue extending into and
interlocking cotyledons; embryo usually uniembryonic, sometimes polyembryonic.

Syzygium cumini Skeels

Trees, 6-20 m tall. Branchlets grayish white when dry, terete. Petiole 1-2 cm; leaf
blade broadly elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 6-12 × 3.5-7 cm, leathery, abaxially slightly
pale when dry, adaxially brownish green to blackish brown and slightly glossy when dry,
both surfaces with small glands, secondary veins numerous, 1-2 mm apart, and gradually
extending into margin, intramarginal veins 1 mm from margin, base broadly cuneate to
rarely rounded, apex rounded to obtuse and with a short cusp. Inflorescences axillary on
flowering branches or occasionally terminal, paniculate cymes, upto 11 cm. Hypanthium
obconic or long pyriform, 4 mm or 7-8 mm. Calyx lobes inconspicuous, 0.3-0.7 mm.
Petals 4, white or light purple, coherent, ovate and slightly rounded, 2.5 mm. Stamens
3-4 mm. Style as long as stamens. Fruit red to black, ellipsoid to pot-shaped, 1-2 cm,
1-seeded; persistent calyx tube 1-1.5 mm.
Fruits are consumed as fresh, processed into tarts, sauce, jam, sorbet and wine.
Leaves are used as fodder. The flowers produce abundant nectar and is a good source for
bees to produce honey. Bark is used to make dye and is used as medicine in combination
with seeds.
The leaf contain essential oil which has been reported to have a good acaricidal
(Abd El-Moneim, 2011) and anti-bacterial property against bacterias like Salmonella
typhimurium, Psuedomonas, Bacillus, Staphyllococcus and Eschirichia coli (Shafi et al.,
2002; Djoukeng et al., 2005). In traditional medicine S. cumini has been used against
dysentry, to treat inflammation (Chaudhuri et al., 1990) and diabetes mellitus (Bhattari,
1992).

Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L.M. Perry

Tree tall (5-15 m), open, widespreading crown, waxy fruit, red, light-red, pear
shaped, 4 fleshy calyx lobes at the apex, 3.5-5.0 cm long, 4-5 cm wide, flesh white,
spongy, dry to juicy, sub-acid, seeds -1 or 2 or more likely none.
Fruit is eaten fresh or prepared into sauce. Cytotoxic compounds against the SW-
480 human colon cancer cell lines and antioxidant compounds were identified from
Syzygium samarangense (Mario et al., 2008). Flavanol glycosides mearnsitrin (Cody et
al., 1998) and 2Ј-C-methyl-5Ј-O-gal loylmyricetin-3-O-a-L-rhamnopyranoside
(Harborne, 1994) have been isolated and characterised from leaves (Nair et al., 1999).

Syzygium malaccense
Tree 5-20 m tall, broadly ovoid canopy, fruit ellipsoid, 5-8 cm in diameter, dark
red to yellowish, white and fragrant flesh, and one big brown seed, pink flower.
Consumed as fresh fruit or cooked in various ways. Bark, leaves and roots provide
traditional medicine with antibiotic activity.

Syzygium paniculatum Gaertn.

Synonym: Eugenia myrtifolia (Sims). Common name: brush berry
Medium to tall tree (3-10 m), sometimes as shrub or bush, produces very pretty,
showy flowers, cherry sized fruit with crisp flesh, pea sized seed, attractive pink or red

27
and sometimes purple fruit. Fruit is eaten fresh, occasionally used to make preserves.

Syzygium aqueum (Burm. f.) Alston

Common name: water apple.
Medium to large tree (15-20 m), hardy, pear shaped fruits similar but smaller than
Java/wax apple, the flesh has a very mild watery flavour. Fruits are eaten fresh. The tree
is used in making handicrafts and the decoction of bark is a local application on thrush.

Syzygium suborbiculare (Benth.) T.G. Hartley & L.M. Perry

Common name: lady apple.
Medium sized tree (10-12 m), fairly drought and salt tolerant, deep red, strongly
ribbed fruit, flesh is crunchy with a sharp flavour. Showy flowers. Fruit is eaten fresh or
cooked.

Syzygium cordatum Hochst ex Sond.

Common name: water berry.
Medium to large tree (15-20 m), compact rounded crown, hardy, fruits are pink-
purple in colour up to 2.5 cm long with a crispy crunchy texture and tart taste. Fruit is
eaten fresh.

Syzygium jambos
The fruit epicarp is thin, smooth and reddish; the mesocarp and the endocarp are
whitish and succulent. Fruits weigh in average 35.57 g and measure 7.16 cm length and
5.15 cm width (Cardoso, 2008). Rose apple extract has a remarkable analgesic (Avila-
Pena et al., 2007), antimicrobial (Djiba et al., 2000) and antidermatophytic (Kuiate et al.,
2007) effects. In part, these properties seem to be related to high tannin content of the
extract.

Syzygium forte
Common name: white apple.
Medium sized tree (10-15 m), leathery leaves, white coloured fruits (5 cm in
diameter), crunchy. Fruits are eaten as fresh.

MYRCIARIA

Myrciaria cauliflora
Common name: Jabuticaba.
Jabuticaba is native to Brazil. It exhibits spontaneous and extensive occurrence in
the country from Para to the Rio Grande do Sul states (Pereira, 2003). The fruit is a
smooth, sub-globular berry that is black-purple when ripe, 1.6 to 2.2 cm diameter, and
contains 1 to 4 seeds. The peel is thin and very fragile, pulp white to translucent and is
sweet and slightly acidic (Whalen et al., 1997). This fruit has a dark purple to almost thin
black skin color due to a high content of anthocyanins that cover a white gelatinous flesh
inside (Santos, 2010) and fragile, with a white pulpy slightly acid and sweet, and weighs
5 g (Manica, 2000).
Because of jabuticaba’s grape-like character, many products can be made from it,
such as wine, juice, jelly, liqueur and vinegar. Furthermore, Myrciaria cauliflora has been
used in the treatment of various diseases, as its peel is featured in popular treatments of
hemoptysis, asthma, diarrhoea and chronic inflammation of the tonsils (Santos et al.,
2009). It has been reported that the fruit of the jabuticaba tree has high tannin (Morton,
1987), vitamin C (Giacometti and Lleras, 1994) and flavonoid contents, especially in its
peel (Einbond et al., 2004; Zanatta et al., 2005), which indicates a great potential
antioxidant capacity and thus has a possible role in the prevention of many diseases
related to oxidative stress.

28
Myrciaria dubia
Known as camu camu, it is an important source of vitamin C with values within
the 9-50g/kg range (Rodrigues et al., 2001). Its high vitamin C content has created
demand for this fruit in the natural product market. Thus, camu camu derivatives such as
pulp, extract and juice have Japan and EU as main export markets. Anthocyanins have
also been identified and the major anthocyanin in this fruit was reported as cyanidin 3-
glucoside and delphinidin 3-glucoside (Zanatta et al., 2005). Many other workers have
confirmed the presence of antioxidant compounds such as ascorbic acid, anthocyanins,
other phenolic compounds (Reynertson et al., 2005; Rosanna et al., 2010; Santos et al.,
2010) and carotenoids with All-trans-lutein being the major one followed by β-carotene,
violaxanthin and luteoxanthin. Reviews on the nutritional composition and health
promoting phytochemicals of the fruit have also been made (Akhter et al., 2011) which
reveals that fruit is a good source of minerals such as potassium, iron, calcium,
phosphorous and various kinds of amino acids such as serine, valine and leucine.
Therefore, the presence of different bioactive compounds in camu-camu fruits could be
used to retard or prevent various diseases such as cardiovascular and cancer and camu-
camu fruits might be used as functional foods or for nutraceutical purposes.

Myrciaria floribunda
Common name: rumberry.
Shrub or tree (up to 20 m tall), grows well in dry and moist climate. Fruits are dark
red to purple, round with excellent tangy acidic flavour, some cultivars are yellow-orange.
Usually eaten fresh, also used in beverages, as well as in alcoholic drinks.

Myrciaria vexator
Common name: blue grape.
Small tree or bush (1-2 m tall). A single bush produces several thousand fruits
with good, grape-berry flavoured pulp. Fruits are eaten fresh or used in drinks.

EUGENIA
The genus Eugenia was named by Linnaeus in 1753 to honour Prince Francois
Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736) who made a collection of rare species in his palace garden
near Vienna in the early 1700s (Austin, 2004). Eugenia also means one-flowered. Earlier,
revision was made to include most of the Asian species into the genus Syzygium, thus
making Eugenia a smaller group. The Eugenia differ from Syzygium in having cotyledons
usually united and the seed-coat smooth and free from the pericarp. Inflorescence is
generally a raceme of pedicelled flowers. Most significantly the species of the genus
Eugenia have a transeptal vascular supply to the ovules whereas those of Syzygium have
an axile one. Inflorescence is generally a raceme of pedicelled flowers. Review of
taxonomic literature revealed three hitherto neglected organographic criteria – nature of
bracteoles, presence or absence of pubescence, and presence or absence of pseudopedicels
that sharply distinguish between Eugenia and Syzygium. About 20 more species are
currently in the process of being described.

Eugenia brasiliensis
Common name: Brazilian cherry, grumichama.
Large shrubs to small tree (5.5-12.0 m). Leaves are opposite, 7.5-12.5 cm long,
glossy and oval to elliptic. Flowers are perfect axillary, solitary or in groups of two or
three. Fruit is round, purple, red or yellow with a long peduncle, around 2.5-3 cm in
diameter, juicy and sweet containing one or two seed. The skin is thin and film exudes
dark red juice.
The fruits are eaten fresh and are used to make juices, jams, jellies and wines. It is
also grown as a ornamental.

29
Eugenia uniflora
Common name: Surinam cherry (fruit is native to Surinam and is the size of a
cherry); known as pitanga in Brazil.
Large multibranched shrubs to small tree (7-10 m) with slender, spreading
branches and resinously aromatic foliage. Young stems are often covered with red hairs
and dark red foliage. Leaves are opposite, simple, short petioled oval to lance shaped, 2.5
to 8 cm shiny dark green above while paler below and with margins entire. Leaves are
bronze when young but turn deep green and glossy when mature. Long-stalked flowers
are fragrant and borne singly or as many as four together in the leaf axils and have 4
delicate, recurved white petals and a tuft of 50-60 prominent white stamens with pale
yellow anthers. Fruit is round, 8-ribbed, red or dark purple, 2.5 cm in diameter, juicy,
sweet to sour, contain 1-3 seeds. Fruit turns from green to orange as it develops and when
mature bright red to deep scarlet or dark and purplish maroon when fully ripe. The skin is
thin with orange-red melting and juicy flesh (Morton, 1987).
Fruit is eaten as fresh, processed into juice, wines, ice cream, fruit shakes, pie,
sauce jams, jellies, etc. It is grown as an ornamental. Leaves release pungent oil which
repels flies and is kept on floors of Brazilian houses. Medicinal use includes leaf infusion
as stomachic, febrifuge, and astringent, leaf decoction as a cold remedy and as a febrifuge
in combination with lemongrass.

Eugenia victoriana
Common name: sundrop, guyabilla.
Shrub to small tree (3 m). Fruit is large (7.5-10 cm diameter), spheroid to oblate,
ripen to a bright yellow orange colour, pulp is bright orange, sour, very aromatic and
2-4 seeds per fruit. Used to make delicious juice or for flavouring juices.

Eugenia axillaris (Sw.) Willd.

Common name: white stopper.
Small or medium sized bush or upright tree (5-10 m) with small trunk and
branches. Bark is pale grayish to whitish smooth. Leaves are leathery, dull dark green
above and reddish leaf stem. Flowers are white or slightly yellow, fruits small (1-1.5 cm
diameter), dark red to black, pear shaped and juicy. Used generally as fresh fruit.

Eugenia aggregata
Common name: cherry of the Rio Grande.
Small tree, leaves are 5.0-7.5 cm long, glossy, waxy, dark, green and somewhat
folded down the center. Fruits are dark, purple sized, sweet, juicy and has cherry flavour.
As the tree gets older the bark peels off resulting in very attractive and smooth trunk.
Fruits are highly prized as fresh fruit and processed as jellies, jams and juices.

Stenocalyx dysentericus
The species was formerly named Eugenia dysenterica D.C. (O. Berg).
Common name: Cagaita.
Small shrub or tree (2-10 m) with rounded canopy. The trunk can be 20-40 cm
diameter with a thick (1-2 cm) and an irregular corky bark. Flowers are highly fragrant,
small and white occurring alone or in threes. Fruits are yellow to slightly orange with a
thin skin and a very juicy acidic pulp.
Eaten fresh, used to flavour drinks, sweets and preserves. Ornamental, honey
bearing, bark is used in tanneries and cork extraction. Leaves are anti-diarrhoea and
jaundice. Fruits are laxative.

Eugenia lutescens
Common name: perinha.
Small bush (1-2 m), both immature leaves and fruit have a small, white, hairy film
around them, fruit yellow, fragrant, slightly sour but tasty pulp. Fruits are eaten as fresh or

30
used to flavour juices and preserves.

Eugenia luschnathiana
Common name: pitomba.
Slow growing bush or tree (7-10 m), hardy, orange or yellow fruit (3-5 cm
diameter), sweet and aromatic flesh. Fruits are eaten fresh and is used in preserves and
beverages.

ACCA/FEIJOA
German botanist Otto Berg described and named Orthostemon sellowianas in Feb.
1856. The name was changed to Feijoa sellowiana after Joam da Silva Feijoa, Director of
the National History in Pelotas from where it was collected. A century later, the generic
name was changed to Acca due to close similarities in flower and seed structure between
Feijoa and other two species of the genus Acca (Burret, 1941) – A. lamginosa & A.
macostema (Ruiz & Pavan ex G. Don) Mc Vaugh.

Acca sellowiana
Common name: pineapple guava.
Bushy shrub 1-6 m, fruit is green, 70-120 g in weight, ellipsoid shaped, sweet,
aromatic flavour, flesh juicy and is divided, into a clean jelly-like seed pulp. Feijoa is a
pome type pseudofruit and oblong-shaped berry with ice white colour pulp and peel that
can be flat, semi-wrinkled or wrinkled, with 3-5 cm diameter, 4-10 cm length, 20-250 g
weight (Fachinello and Nachtical, 1992).
Fruits are used as fresh, fruit salad and used in making cakes, jam, jelly and pickle.

CAMPOMANESIA

Campomanesia lineatifolia Pallio

Evergreen tree, 4-10 m height, upto 25 cm trunk diameter. Simple, opposite
leaves, elliptical to oval in shape (10-20 cm length and 8-10 cm breadth). Axillary
flowers, bisexual, occur singly or in groups of 3-4. Small round fruit, 7 cm diameter, upto
140 g with smooth, yellow peel, juicy, smooth pulp and 4-12 seeds, each 1-1.5 cm long.
Fruits are eaten fresh, used in sweets, marmalades, jelly, ice-cream. Rich in P, Ca,
vitamin A and vitamin C.

Campomanesia xanthocarpa
Small to medium sized tree (5-15 m), long fruiting season (6 months), frost hardy,
green yellow skinned fruit, pulp is sweet and high in vitamins. Eaten fresh and used in
making juice, liquers and sweets.

Calyptropsidium sartorianum [P. sartorianum, Mitranthes sartoria]

Common name: Sartre guava.
Medium sized tree or bush (5-15 m), can survive some frost, fruits yellow orange,
small, flavour is acidic and tart, but very tasty, having overtones of citrus and floral
perfume. It is mostly consumed as fresh fruit.

RHODOMYRTUS

Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk

Common name: hill gooseberry.
Rhodomyrtus derived from the Greek word “rhodon” and “myrtos” meaning red
and myrtle (Starr et al., 2003). There are two recognised cultivated cultivars –
R. tomentosa var. tomentosa (Syn. Myrtus canescens Lour.) and R. tomentosa var.
(Alston) A.J. Scott (syn. R. parviflora Alston).
It is a shrub or tree upto 4 m tall. Light green leaves, obovate or elliptic (1.4-4 cm

31
wide and 2.5-8 cm long), smooth on the adaxial surface and tomentose on the abaxial
surface. Solitary flowers (1-5) in long peduncle. Ellipsoid berry fruit, purplish pulp, many
seeds.
Fruits are eaten fresh. Made into jellies and preserves. Grown as an ornamental
due to its beautiful flowers. Source of vitamins, minerals and sugars (Verheij and
Coronel, 1992; Ko et al., 1998).

UGNI

Ugni myricoides
Common name: black chilean guava.
A small shrub, usually only 0.6-1.8 m. Evergreen, grows quite well in filtered sun
and shade. Fruits are eaten fresh, or used to make jams and jellies.

Ugni molinae Turcz.

Common name: Ugni or Chilean guava.
Very small bush (1-2 m), often grown as ornamentals for its little pink flavours,
grown best in cool subtropical climates, small, purple red fruit, usually not larger than
blueberry. The fruits have a nice, mild-spicy guava like flavour. Fruits are eaten as fresh
or used to make jams and jellies.

Literature Cited
AECOTURIS. 2005. Viaje mais Brasil. http: www.viajemaisbrasil.com.br/frutas.html via
http://aecoturis.org.
Afify, A.M.R., El-Beltagi, H.S., Fayed, S.A.S. and Shalaby, E.A. 2011. Acaricidal
activity of different extracts from Syzygium cumini L. Skeels (Pomposia) against
Tetranychus urticae Koch. Asian. Pac. J. Trop. Biomed. 1(5):359-364.
Akhter, M.S., Sejong Oh, Jong-Bang, E. and Ahmed, M. 2011. Nutritional compositions
and health promoting phytochemicals of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) fruit: a
review. Food Res. Intl. 44:1728-1732.
Andrade, R.S.G., Diniz, M.C.T., Neves, E.A. and Nobrega, J.A. 2002. Determinacao e
distribucao de acido ascorbico em tres frutos tropicais. Ecletica Quimica 27:393-401.
Austin, D.F. 2004. Florida Ethnobotany. Boca Raton, Florida, CRC Press.
Avila-Pena, D., Pena, N., Quintero, L. and Suarez-roca, H. 2007. Antinociceptive activity
of Syzygium jambos leaves extract on rats. J. Ethnopharmacol. 112:380-385.
Bhattarai, N.K. 1992. Folk use of plants in veterinary medicine in central Nepal.
Fitoterapia 63:497-506.
Brongniart, A.T. 1843. Enumeration des Genres de Plantes Cultiver au Museum Histoire
Naturalle de Paris. p.60.
Burret, M. 1941. Myrtaceenstudien II. Rep. Specierum Novarum Reg. Veg. 50:59.
Cardoso, R.L. 2008. Stability of the color of mountain apple jelly (Eugenia malaccensis
L.) without rind stored at 25°C and 35°C in the presence and absence of light. Ciencia
e Agrotech. 32:1563-1567.
Castellane, P.D. 2005. Colecao de Frutas Natives, Araca-pera. www.todafruta.com.br/
todafruta/mostra_conteudo.asp?conteudo=263.
Cavalier-Smith, T. 1981. Eukaryote kingdoms: seven or nine? Biosyst. 14(3-4):461-481.
Cavalier-Smith, T. 1988. A revised six-kingdom system of life. Biol. Rev. 73:203-266.
Chaudhuri, A.K.N., Pal, S., Gomes, A. and Bhattacharya, S. 1990. Anti-inflammatory and
related actions of Syzygium cuminii seed extract. Phytotherapy Res. 4(1):5-10.
Cody, V, Middleton, E. and Harborne, J.B 1998. Plant flavonoids in biology and
medicine, vols. I and II. New York: Alan R. Liss.
Cronquist, A. 1981. An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants.
Columbia University Press, New York, p.1262.
Djiba, C.T., Delme, M. and Quetin-Leclerc, J. 2000. Antimicrobial activity of bark
extracts of Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston (Myrtaceae). J. Ethnopharmacol. 71:307-313.

32
Djoukeng, J.D., Abou-Mansour, E., Tabacchi, R., Tapondjou, A.L., Bouda, H. and Lontsi,
D. 2005. Antibacterial triterpenes from Syzygium guineense (Myrtaceae) J.
Ethnopharmacol. 101:283-286.
Einbond, L.S., Reynertson, K.A., Luo, X.D., Basile, M.J. and Kennelly, E.J. 2004.
Anthocyanin antioxidants from edible fruits. Food Chem. 84(1):23-28.
Fachinello, J.C. and Nachtical, J.C. 1992. Propagacao da goiabera serrana Feijao
sellowiana Berg. Atraves da mergulhia de cepa. Scientia Agricola 49:37-39.
Franco, M.R. and Shibamoto, T. 2000. Volatile compound of some Brazilian fruits:
Umbu-caja (Spondias citherea), camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia), araca-boi (Eugenia
stipitata) and cupuacu (Theobroma grandiflorum). J. Agri. Food Chem. 48:1263-
1265.
Giacometti, D. and Lleras, E. 1994. p.229-237. In: J.E.H. Bermejo and J. Leon (eds.),
Neglected Crops: 1492 from a different perspective, Rome: FAO.
Govaerts, R., Sobral, M., Ashton, P., Barrie, F., Holst, B.K., Landrum, L.L., Matsumoto,
K., Mazine, F.F., Nic Lughadha, E., Proenca, C., Soares-Silva, L.H., Wilson, P.G. and
Lucas, E. 2008. World Checklist of Myrtaceae. Kew Publishing, London: Board of
Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p.455.
Haeckel, G. 1866. Generale Morphologie der Organismen. Berlin: Verlag von George
Reimer. Vol, 1:i-xxxii, p.1-574, pls I-II; vol. 2:i-clx, p.1-462, pls I-VIII.
Harborne, J.B. 1994. The flavonoids - advances in research from 1986. London: Chapman
and Hall.
de Jussieu, A.L. 1789. Genera plantarum, secundum ordines naturales disposita juxta
methodum in horto regio parisiensi exaratum. Paris.
Kenrick, P. and Crane, P.R. 1997. The origin and early diversification of land plants: a
cladistic study. Smithsonian Series in Comparative Evolutionary Biology.
Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, p.441.
Ko, I.W.P., Corlett, R.T. and Xu, R. 1998. Sugar composition of wild fruits in Hong
Kong, China. J. Trop. Ecol. 14:381-387.
Kuiate, J.R., Mouokew, S., Wabo, H.K. and Tane, P. 2007. Antidermatophytic
triterpinoids from Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston (Myrtaceae). Phytotherapy Res.
21:149-152.
Manica, I. 2000. Frutas nativas, silvestres e exoticas I: Tecnicas de producao e mercado:
abiu, amora-preta araca, bacuri, biriba, carambola, cereja-do-rio grande, jabuticaba.
Porto Alegre, Cinco Continentes.
Mario, J.S., Seiji, A., Satoshi, T., Hui Yang, Reynertson, K.A., Basile, M.J., Roberto,
R.G., Weinstein, B.I. and Kennelly, E.J. 2008. Cytotoxic chalcones and antioxidants
from the fruits of Syzygium samarangense (Wax Jambu). Food Chem. 107:813-819.
Martin, F.W., Campbell, C.W. and Ruberte, R.M. 1987. Perennial Edible Fruit of the
Tropics – an Inventory. Agriculture Handbook No. 642. US Department of
Agriculture (USDA), Agriculture Research Service (ARS), US Government Printing
Office, Washington, DC, p.42.
Morton, J. 1987. Jambolan. p.375-378 In: Fruits of Warm Climates. New York:
Winterville.
Nair, A.G.R., Krishnan, S., Ravikrishna, C. and Madhusudanan, K.P. 1999. New and rare
flavonol glycosides from leaves of Syzygium samarangense. Fitoterapia 70:148-151.
Normand, F. 2002. The strawberry guava: a new fruit species for humid areas in Reunion
Island. Acta Hort. 575:245-251.
Pereira, M. 2003. Propagação via estacas apicais, caracterização morfológica e molecular
de jabuticabeiras (Myrciaria spp.). Ph.D. Thesis, University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba,
Brazil.
Reichenbach, H.G.L. 1828. Conspectus regni vegetabilis per gradus naturales evoluti.
Pars prima, xiv. p. 294. Corolum cnobloch, Lipsiae.
Reynertson, K.A., Basile, M.J. and Kenelly, E.J. 2005. Antioxidant potential of seven
mrytaceous fruits. Etnobot. Res. Applications 3:25-35.
Rodrigues, R.B., Menezes, H.C., Cabral, L.M.C., Dornier, M. and Reynes, M. 2001. An

33
 Amazonian fruit with a high potential as a natural source of vitamin C: the camu camu
(Myrciaria dubia). Fruits 56:345-354.
Rosana, C., Galarza, J., Betalleluz-Pallardel, I., Pedreschi, R. and Campos, D. 2010.
Antioxidant compounds and antioxidant capacity of Peruvian camu camu (Myrciaria
dubia (H.B.K.) McVaugh fruit at different maturity stages. Food Chem. 120:1019-
1024.
Santos, D.T. and Meireles, M.A.A. 2009. Jabuticaba as a source of functional pigments.
Pharmacognosy Rev. 3(5):127-132.
Santos, D.T., Priscilla, C.V. and Meireles, M.A.A. 2010. Extraction of antioxidant
compounds from Jabuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) skins: yield, composition and
economical evaluation. J. Food Eng. 101:23-31.
Shafi, P.M., Rosamma, M.K., Kaiser, J. and Reddy, P.S. 2002. Antibacterial activity of
Syzygium cumuni and Syzygium travencoricum leaf essential oils. Fitoterapia 73:414-
416.
Sinnott, E.W. 1935. Botany: Principles and problems, 3rd eds. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Starr, F., Starr, K. and Loope, L. 2003. Rhodomyrtus tomentosa. Hawaiian Ecosystems at
Risk Project, p.1-5. http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/html/rhodomyrtus_to
mentosa.htm.
Takhtajan, A. 1967. Systema et Phylogenia Magnoliophytorum. Moscow: Officna
Editoria, Nauka, Leningrad, USSR.
Verheij, E.W.M. and Coronel, R.E. (eds.). 1992. Edible Fruits and Nuts. Plant Resources
of South East Asia No. 2. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. p.276-277.
Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R. and Sohmer, S.H. 1990. Manual of the Flowering Plants of
Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii.
p.1853.
Whalen, P.J., Bason, M.L., Booth, R.I., Walker, C.E. and Williams, P.J. 1997.
Measurement of extrusion effects by viscosity profile using the rapid viscoanalyser.
Cereal Foods World 42(6):469-475.
Whittaker, R.H. and Margulis, L. 1978. Protist classification and the kingdoms of
organisms. Biosyst. 10:3-18.
Zanatta, C.F., Cuevas, E., Bobbio, F.O., Winterhalter, P. and Mercadante, A.Z. 2005.
Determinations of anthocyanins from camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) by HPLC-PDA,
HPLC-MS and NMR. J. Agri. Food Chem. 53:9531-9535.

34