MYRTLE FAMILY (MYRTACEAE) 



189. Manzana malaya, Malay-apple 



Malay-apple, an exotic tree occasionally planted 

 for ornament, shade, and windbreaks, is identified 

 by: (1) an ei'ect stem and dense conical or colum- 

 nar crown of dark green foliage; (2) opposite, 

 large, oblong, mostly dark green, leathery leaves, 

 short-stalked, with blades 7-12 inches long and 3-5 

 inches broad, long-pointed at apex and short- 

 pointed at base: (3) pretty purplish-red or rose- 

 purple flowers composed of a mass of spreading 

 stamens 2i/o-3 inches across, like pins in a pin cush- 

 ion, several clustered together along twigs back of 

 leaves and hidden in crown; and (4) red (some- 

 times pink or whitish) pear-shaped fruits 2-3 

 inches long and 1-2 inches in diameter, with 4 

 sepals at apex and the white, slightly sour edible 

 flesh witli applelike flavor. 

 A small to medium-sized evergreen tree 15-40 feet 

 tall and 3-8 inches in trunk diameter, or larger. 

 The bark is light brown, smoothish to slightly fis- 

 sured. Inner bark is brownish streaked and slight- 

 ly astringent. The twigs are light brown, green 

 when young, with slightly raised leaf scars. 



Petioles are i/2-% inch long, stout, green to 

 brown. Leaf blades are slightly curved upward on 

 both sides of midrib, the lateral veins slightly 

 sunken and connected near margins, the upper sur- 

 face dark green or green and usually slightly 

 shiny, and the lower surface dull light green. 

 Scattered minute gland dots are visible with a lens 

 when the blade is held toward the light. 



Several to many odorless flowers are borne in 

 clusters 4-5 inches across, almost stalkless on a 

 short branched green lateral axis (cyme or pani- 

 cle). The flower has a funnel-shaped, light pur- 

 plish-green base (hypanthium) % inch long and 

 ViQ inch wide at top, enclosing the ovai-y and ex- 

 tending as a broad tube %6 inch beyond. There 

 are 4 broad, rounded, thickened, persistent sepals 

 Vs-^Ag inch long; 4 spreading, rounded, concave, 

 purplish-red petals i/o inch long; the mass of sta- 

 mens 1-11/4 inches long, purplish red with yellow 

 dot anthei-s; and pistil composed of inferior 

 2-celled ovary and persistent purplish-red straight 

 style about I14 inches long. As the stamens fall, 

 the ground under the tree becomes a purplish-red 

 carpet. 



The berries have thin soft skin, crisp juicy flesh 

 with pleasant flavor, and 1 large rounded light 



Eugenia malaccensis L* 



brown seed about % inch in diameter. Seeds re- 

 corded as 1)6 to a pound. Flowering and fruiting 

 nearly tlu'ougli the year. 



The sapwood is light brown. The wood is de- 

 scribed as hard, tough, very heavy, but tending to 

 warp, and difficult to work. The tree is not suf- 

 ficiently common for its wood to be much used in 

 Puerto Kico or the Virgin Islands. 



Widely cultivated elsewhere for the fruits, 

 which are eaten raw or also cooked or preserved 

 Or used for wine, and for ornament. One author 

 places this among the most beautiful flowei-ing 

 trees of the tropics. It is said that the slightly 

 sour stamens can be prepared into salads. Easily 

 propagated from seed and of moderately rapid 

 grow til. 



Malay-apple was introduced into Jamaica in 

 1793 from Tahiti by Captain Bligh of the British 

 ship Providence. This, along with breadfruit, was 

 one of several trees brought in to provide inexpen- 

 sive food for the slaves. 



Limited chiefly to urban areas in Puerto Rico, 

 planted around buildings but occasionally also for 

 windbreaks in rural areas on the moist coast. 

 Also in St. Croix. 



Raxge. — Native probably of IMalay Archipelago 

 or Malay Peninsula. Widely planted through the 

 tropics, including AVest Indies and continental 

 tropical America. Uncommon in southern 

 Florida. 



Other common names. — pomarrosa malaya, 

 ohia (Puerto Rico) ; cajuilito suliman (Dominican 

 Republic) ; pomarrosa de Malaca, pera (Cuba) ; 

 maranon japones (El Salvador) ; manzana (Costa 

 Rica) ; maraiion de Curasao, manzana de Faiti 

 (Panama); pomarrosa de Malaca (Colombia); 

 pomagas, pomagada (Venezuela) ; Malay-apple, 

 ohia (United States, English) ; Otaheite-apple 

 (Jamaica, British West Indies) ; pomerac, pomme 

 malac (Trinidad); French - cashew (British 

 Guiana) ; jamelac (French) ; pomme de Tahiti, 

 pomme de Malaisie (Guadeloupe) ; pommerak 

 (Surinam) ; jambeiro, jambo encarnado (Brazil). 



Botanical synonyms. — Jambasa tnalaccensis 

 (L.) DC, Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merrill & 

 Perry. 



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