FRUITS OF THE MYRTLE FAMILY 285 



oval, acute or obtuse, 3 to 5 inches long, with the lower surfaces 

 pubescent. The flowers, of which one to three are borne upon 

 a single peduncle, resemble those of P. Guajava. The fruit is 

 round or nearly so, 1 to li inches in diameter, greenish-yellow 

 and rather hard when ripe, with whitish flesh containing numer- 

 ous small seeds. The flavor is subacid, and not so musky as 

 that of P. Guajava. 



This guava was considered by Swartz, who first described it, 

 to be indigenous to Africa, but more recent knowledge shows 

 this to be improbable. P. Araqa, Raddi, is a synonym of this 

 species. In Brazil many wild guavas are known by the indige- 

 nous (Tupi) name ara$d, a fact which has led North American 

 nurserymen, who have obtained seeds from that country, to 

 apply the name P. Ara<?d erroneously to several species of 

 Psidium. P. guineense is easily distinguished from P. Guajava 

 by its compressed-cylindrical branchlets ; by the upper surfaces 

 of the leaves not having the venation impressed as in the latter 

 species, and by the number of the lateral veins, which are 

 7 to 12 (commonly 8 or 9) pairs, in place of 12 to 18 (commonly 

 14 to 16) pairs. 



The quality of the fruit is not sufficiently good to make the 

 species of great horticultural value. 



Para guava (Britoa acida, Berg). 



Since it does not belong to the genus Psidium this fruit is 

 not properly entitled to be called a guava, but its similarity to 

 the true guavas in nearly every respect makes it horticulturally 

 permissible to include it with them. In Brazil it is known as 

 Araqa do Para. It is indigenous there, and is occasionally seen 

 in cultivation in several parts of the country. It has been 

 introduced into Florida, where it has been distributed under the 

 name Psidium Ara^d. This is a good fruit, worthy of wider dis- 

 semination in tropical countries. Its requirements appear to 

 resemble closely those of the common guava, P. Guajava. 



