Malabar plum, rose-apple

Eugenia jambos Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 470. 1753

Trees or shrubs to 10 m; twigs terete or quadrangular; bark reddish brown, flaky. Leaves: blade drying concolorous olive or adaxially dark green, narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, 12–24 × 3–5 cm, leathery, veins brown abaxially, base narrowly cuneate or gradually rounded, apex narrowly acuminate, surfaces glandular, glands numerous abaxially, obscure adaxially. Inflorescences usually 2–8-flowered, usually terminal, racemes; axis terete or quadrangular, 10–20 × 2–3 mm; bracts and bracteoles caducous. Flowers pedicellate (pedicels 7–15 mm); bud pyriform, 25–30 mm; hypanthium infundibular or obconic, 12–17 mm, tube 4–5 mm deep, 9–10 mm diam. at mouth, base abruptly contracted to pseudostalk, 3–5 mm; calyx lobes persistent, widely elliptic, in subequal pairs, 4–8 × 6–10 mm, convex, leathery, margins scarious, apex rounded; petals distinct, orbiculate, 10–15 mm diam., margins scarious, prominently glandular; stamens ca. 300, 20–40 mm; style 40–60 mm. Berries yellow or reddish, subglobose, 30–40 mm; calyx lobes persistent, erect in developing fruit. 2n = 22.

Flowering mainly in spring. Disturbed wooded areas; 0–50 m; introduced; Fla.; se Asia (Malaysia); intro­duced also widely elsewhere.

Syzygium jambos is known in the flora area from the central and southern peninsula.

Syzygium jambos is cultivated in tropical areas worldwide as an ornamental for its glossy, deep green leaves and showy flowers.