FRUITS OF THE MYRTLE FAMILY 



303 



The seeds are round or hemispherical when one or two in num- 

 ber; sometimes there are three or more, in which case the 

 size is reduced and they are angular. 



The rapidity with which the fruits develop is surprising; 

 within a month from the time of flowering they have reached 

 maturity and are falling to the ground. Father Tavares states 

 that all the trees do not ripen their crops at the same time, some 

 blooming later than others and thus extending the fruiting 

 season from November to February (in Brazil) . Three varieties 

 are distinguished by him, 

 one with dark red flesh, 

 another with vermilion, 

 and the third with white. 

 All three are said to be 

 equally good in quality. 

 The fruit is usually eaten 

 fresh, but may also be 

 used to make jams and 

 preserves. 



The grumichama 

 (sometimes grumixama, 



to Conform to old PortU- 

 _xU u \ u 



guese orthography) has 

 recently been planted in 

 California and Florida. In the latter state it has withstood a 

 temperature of 26 without injury, which indicates that it is 

 subtropical, rather than strictly tropical, in character. It pre- 

 fers a deep sandy loam, but succeeds in Florida on shallow sandy 

 soils. Vaughan MacCaughey says : "In the Hawaiian islands 

 it is usually about 20 feet high. It requires considerable mois- 

 ture for its best development, as do all the Eugenias in our flora ; 

 the largest crops are borne by plants at the lower levels, up to 

 300 feet . . . flowering and fruiting continues from July until 

 December, the main crop coming in the fall. . . . The first 



FIG. 39. The grumichama (Eugenia Dom- 

 a little-known fruit from southeastern 



(x f) 



