336 
ROBINSON. 
7. PSIDIUM Linn. 
Leaves 4.5-15 cm long 1. P. guajava 
Leaves 2-3.5 cm long 2. P. pumilum 
1. Psidium guajava Linn. Sp. PL (1753) 470. 
P. pomiferum Linn. Sp. PI. ed. 2 (1762) 672. 
P. pyriferum Linn. Sp. PI. ed. 2 (1762) 672. 
P. aromaticum Blanco FI. Filip. (1837) 417; nec Aubl. PI. Guian. 1 (1775) 
485. nec Descourt. FI. Med. Antill. 5 (1827) 229. 
A very early introduction from tropical America. Mercado, writing upon the 
medicinal plants of the Philippines, near the end of the seventeenth century, has 
a long article upon its uses, with no reference to its introduction or distribution 
in these Islands. Camel, at the very beginning of the eighteenth century, makes 
no reference to it in the text, but in the list of plants dealt with has “Quaiabas” 
placed with species belonging to Eugenia. 
Blanco believed that it was undoubtedly indigenous, as stems and leaves which 
he positively identified with it, had been found in volcanic deposits of a period 
prior to the Spanish occujmtion. No such material is known to be preserved, and 
no direct opinion can be pronounced, but in view of the similarity of the leaves 
of several other species to those of the guava, and the general improbability of 
any other than an American origin, there is no sufficient reason to depart from 
the generally accepted opinion. It appears to be much more widely spread in 
the Philippines than elsewhere in the East, which may indicate that this was 
the first Asiatic country into which it was introduced, as might have been expected 
on the basis of American origin. 
At present, it is not only cultivated, but extremely common in clearings and 
former clearings throughout the Islands. The localities represented in this her- 
barium are the Provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Sur, Union, Benguet, Bula- 
can, Bataan, Rizal, Laguna, Tavabas, Camarines, and Albay, in Luzon; Mindoro, 
Panay, Cebu, Negros, Palawan, and Basilan, and the Lanao and Davao districts 
of Mindanao. Both varieties are represented. 
Known as Guayabas or Bayabas, sometimes as Guava. The fruit is used in 
many ways. 
Cosmopolitan in the Tropics. 
2. Psidium pumilum Vahl Symb. Bot. 2 (1791) 56. 
Luzon, Province of Rizal, Bosoboso, Bur. Sci. 103Jf Ramos. 
Also introduced and known by the same names. 
8. DECASPERMUM Forst. 
Flowers solitary in the leaf -axils, rarely in 3’s and then cymose 1. D. blahcoi 
Flowers in leafy panicles 2. D. paniculatum 
1. Decaspermum blancoi Vidal Phan. Cuming. Philip. (1885) 172. 
Myrtus communis Blanco FI. Filip. (1837) 422: non Linn. Sp. PI. (1753) 471. 
Nelitris rubra Vidal Sinops. Atlas (1883) xxvi, pi. 50, f. C: non Blume Mus. 
Bot. Lugd.-Bat. 1 (1851) 73. 
Decaspermum rubrum F.-Vill. Noviss. App. (1880) 84; non Baill. Hist. PL 6 
(1877) 341. 
Luzon, Province of Pangasinan, Balungao, Merrill 2862: Province of Principe, 
Baler, Merrill 1091: Province of Zambales, Bakilan, For. Bur. 7 002 Curran; 
Subig, Merrill 2097 : Province of Bataan, Mount Mariveles, Lamao River, Merrill 
3890, For. Bur. 1331 Borden, For. Bur. 121^01 Merritt d Curran: Province of 
Tayabas, Cuming SOI: Province of Albay, Batan Island, Calanaga, Bur. Sci. 6282 
Robinson. 
