Volume 7 > Part 4 > Year 2002 > Page 831 > Myrtaceae > Syzygium

6. Syzygium aqueum (Burm.f.) Alstonwfo-0000318257

Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. (Peradeniya) 11: 204. 1929; Handb. Fl. Ceylon 6 (Suppl.): 115. 1931; Merr. & L.M.Perry in Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts 18: 170. 1939; Merr., Philipp. J. Sci. 79: 376. 1950; Backer & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 1: 345. 1963; T.G.Hartley & L.M.Perry, J. Arnold Arbor, 54: 196. 1973; Kosterm. in Quat. J. Taiwan Mus. 34: 122. 1981; P.S.Ashton in Dassan. & Fosberg, Fl. Ceyl. 2: 423. 1981; B.Hyland in Aust. J. Bot., Suppl. 9: 50, fig. 54, map 30. 1983; D.G.Long & Rae in Grierson & D.G.Long, Fl. Bhutan 2: 282. 1991; Chantar. & J.Parn., Thai Forest Bull. (Bot.) 21: 37. 1994 and synonyms therein.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Shrub or small tree to 5 m. Twigs terete or compressed, the bark pale brown. Leaves with petiole 1–2 mm; lamina 10.7–15.4 by 5–7.2 cm, ovate oblong or elliptic oblong, base cordate, apex acute, broadly acute or blunt; midrib impressed on the upper surface, intramarginal veins 2. Inflorescence up to 6 cm, both terminal and axillary, cymose; peduncle up to 25 mm or almost absent, with or without a pair of ascending branchlets near the base, rachis and branches compressed; bracts linear or narrowly oblong 2–6 mm. Flowers white, sessile. Hypanthial cup 10–11 mm, broadly funnel-shaped. Pseudostipe 5–7 mm. Sepals 4, 2.4–3.1 mm, semiorbicular, rim hyaline. Petals 4, 5.6–6.4 mm, free, orbicular, >100 gland dots per petal. Outer stamens 11.6–11.9 mm; anther 0.5–0.6 mm, elliptic. Style 11.2–14 mm. Ovary 2-locular, 50–51 ovules per locule. Fruits shining white or pink, to 4 cm, turbinate, top flattened.

Thailand : Cultivated but not common.

Distribution : Native of Indo-Malesia and widely cultivated in SE Asia (India – type).

Ecology : Cultivation.

Vernacular : Chomphu pa (ชมพู่ป่า), ma chomphu pa (มะชมพู่ป่า)(Northern).

Uses: Fruits are edible. The grated bark can be added to water and may be used to treat thrush.

Notes: Syzygium aqueum is very similar to S. samarangense var. samarangense but differs in having a distinct pseudostipe, smaller flowers and fruits, and shorter petioles.