Psidium cujavillus (PROSEA)

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Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Psidium cujavillus Burm.f.

Family: Myrtaceae

Synonyms

• Psidium pumilum Vahl.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: jambu tjina, jambu bidji ketjil (Malay), jambu leutik (Sundanese).

Distribution

Originating from the Antilles. Introduced and cultivated in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Uses

The fruits are edible. Leaves used against diarrhoea.

Observations

• Shrub or small crooked tree, 1-4 m tall.
• Fruit a globose berry, 2-3 cm diameter.

At low and medium altitudes, rather rare in South-East Asia. Some consider this species to be a small form of Psidium guajava L.

Selected sources

• Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink, R.C., 1963 1968. Flora of Java. 3 Volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands.

• Mansfeld, R. & Schultze Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kuturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.

• Merrill, E.D., 1923-1925. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants. 4 Volumes. Government of the Philippine Islands, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bureau of Printing, Manila.

• Ochse, J.J., 1927. Indische vruchten [Indonesian fruits]. Volkslectuur, Weltevreden. 330 pp.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen