206 DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHRUBS 



several kidney-shaped seeds. A number of varieties are in cultivation 

 differing in the size, shape, and coloring of the leaves. In southern 

 California this is ever blooming. Besides this European species there 

 are two others in cultivation in southern California, from Chili. 



[Twig cuttings.] 



Eugenia. The Eugenias are myrtle-like Southern shrubs or trees with 

 opposite evergreen finely feather-veined aromatic leaves, white or creamy 

 flowers, and usually one-seeded cherry-like edible berries. They are culti- 

 vated, mainly, for their shovry fruits, some of them excellent for jellies. 



[Twig cuttings.] 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF EUGENIA 



* Flowers and fruit solitary, axillary. (A.) 



A. Tall to 20 feet ; berry cherry -like, ribbed (1 inch broad), red with 

 an acid spicy flavor, ripe May and June. Southern Florida and 

 California. Cayenne ' Cherkt ' — Eugenia Michelii. 



A. Shrub to 6 feet with scale-like leaves 3 inches long covering the 

 branches ; fruit scarlet, cherry-like, in April. GeumichAma 

 (325) — Eugenia brasili^nsis. 



* Flowers and fruit in 3-9-flowered clusters. (B.) 



B. Smooth shrub to 12 feet with dark and glossy leaves (2-3 inches 

 long) ; red to violet fruit (| inch) ending in a persistent calyx. 

 The fine veins of the leaves are nearly at right angles to the mid- 

 rib. Brush ' Cherry ' (326) — Eugenia myrtifblia. 



B. A tree to 30 feet with thick slender leaves, like the oleander, 

 and fruit (lJ-2 inches broad) light-colored with a pink cheek, 

 apricot-flavored. Rose 'Apple.' Jambos (327) — Eugenia 

 Jumbos. 



B. A tail shrub or small tree with broad blunt leaves (4-6 inches 

 long and 2-3 inches broad) ; berry the size of a cherry or some- 

 times larger ; the flowers in this species have the petals united at 

 base. Jambolan ' Plum ' — Eugenia Jambol^na. 



Psidium. The Guavas are evergreen shrubs or small trees of the ex- 

 treme South. The leaves are simple, opposite, thick, usually entire-edged 

 and feather-veined. The flowers are large, 1 to 2 inches, 5-petaled with 

 many stamens, solitary or few in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a 

 large somewhat rough yellow or yellowish many-seeded berry used in the 

 tropics for jelly or in tarts and also eaten raw. 



[Suckers ; twig cuttings ; seeds.] 



