266 



and showy flowers. It is readily propagated by either cuttings 

 or seeds. The latter geminate easily, and there is usually a large 

 number of seedlings under any rose apple tree. 



The French cherry or pitanga is a fairly common garden shrub 

 in the Hawaiian Islands, particularly in the older gardens and 

 estates. It is also called Surinam cherry, E. imiflora L. (£. 

 Michelii Lam.). It is a native of tropical Brazil, but may now 

 be found in many warm countries, where its fruit is much esteemed 

 for jellies. It is a shrub varying in height from five to twenty 

 feet; ten feet is an average size. Like the other Eugenias, the 

 foliage is attractive; the^Teaves are glossy dark green, ovate- 

 lanceolate, obtuse at the base, 1-2 ins, long, and exceeding the 

 peduncles. The flowers are small, single, white, and quite 

 fragrant. They are borne in profusion under favorable con- 

 ditions. The fruit is 3^-i inch in diameter, the size of a cherry, 

 on short peduncles. It is amber colored, finally becoming rich 

 crimson, and semi-translucent. The conspicuous feature of the 

 fruit is the deep longitudinal ribbing or fluting; the convex sur- 

 faces are rounded, the depressions angular. The unripe fruit 

 is decidedly astringent, but when fully mature is possesses a 

 delicious spicy, acid, aromatic flavor. The fruit contains a 

 single large, smooth, globular seed. In Hawaii the fruit is 

 eaten out of hand, and also used for jelly-making. It occurs on 

 all the islands; large bushes occur in Nu'u-anu, Wai-alae, and at 

 Moana-lua; also in the Hilo district of Hawai'i, and the Lihue 

 region of Kauai'i. 



The seventh member of this interesting genus that is prevalent 

 in the islands is E. brasiliensis Lam. {E. dombeyi Skeels). This is 

 called Brazilian plum or Spanish cherry; in Brazil, its native 

 home, it is known as the Grumixameira. In habit it varies from 

 a shrub to a large tree of fifty feet; in the Hawaiian Islands it is 

 usually about twenty feet high. It requires considerable moisture 

 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. The leaves are obovate-oblong, 2}/2r5 ins. long and 1-23^ 

 ins. broad, tapering at the base and blunt at the apex, dark green 

 and glossy. The flowers are white, like those of imiflora; 



