Crimson leaf eugenia
Eugenia punicifolia

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 3 m tall but can be 8 m tall. The flowers occur singly or in pairs. The fruit is narrowly oval and 1.2 cm long by 1 cm wide. It is yellow to red. The pulp is sweet tasting and edible. There is one seed. It is shiny.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in savannas and of the edges of forests. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, South America (country/location of origin), Suriname, Trinidad, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

The pulp of the fruit is eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Aperta cu, Nangapiry, Nanica, Nhanica, Sabanakersi, Tichal blanco

Synonyms

Emurtia punicifolia (Kunth) Raf. Eugenia adstringens Cambess. Eugenia ambigua O.Berg Eugenia arbutifolia O.Berg Eugenia arbutifolia var. obscura O.Berg Eugenia arbutifolia var. pallida O.Berg Eugenia arctostaphyloides O.Berg Eugenia arctostaphyloides var. ovalis O.Berg; Eugenia benthamii O.Berg Eugenia boliviensis O.Berg Eugenia calycolpoides Griseb.; Eugenia ciarensis O.Berg Eugenia clinocarpa DC. Eugenia coarensis DC. Eugenia dasyantha O.Berg; Eugenia decorticans O.Berg; Eugenia diantha O.Berg Eugenia diantha var. ciliata O.Berg; Eugenia diantha var. glabra O.Berg; Eugenia dipoda DC. Eugenia dipoda var. brachypoda DC.; Eugenia dipoda f. grandifolia Miq.; Eugenia diversiflora O.Berg Eugenia flava O.Berg Eugenia fruticulosa DC. Eugenia glareosa O.Berg Eugenia insipida Cambess. Eugenia insipida Mart. Eugenia kochiana DC. Eugenia kunthiana DC. Eugenia kunthiana var. opaca O.Berg; Eugenia kunthiana var. pellucida O.Berg; Eugenia linearifolia O.Berg Eugenia linearifolia var. oppositifolia O.Berg; Eugenia linearifolia var. ternifolia O.Berg; Eugenia macroclada O.Berg Eugenia maximiliana O.Berg Eugenia mugiensis O.Berg Eugenia myrtillifolia DC. Eugenia nhanica Cambess. Eugenia obtusifolia Cambess. Eugenia obversa O.Berg Eugenia oleifolia (Kunth) DC. Eugenia ovalifolia Cambess. Eugenia phillyraeoides Willd. ex O.Berg; Eugenia platyclada O.Berg Eugenia platyclada var. cuneata O.Berg Eugenia platyclada var. microphylla O.Berg Eugenia platyclada var. multiflora O.Berg; Eugenia platyclada var. ovalis O.Berg Eugenia polyphylla O.Berg Eugenia polyphylla var. obovata O.Berg; Eugenia prominens O.Berg; Eugenia psammophila Diels; Eugenia psychotrioides Mart. ex O.Berg; Eugenia pungens var. subalterna (Benth.) Amshoff; Eugenia punicifolia var. brachypoda (DC.) Krug & Urb.; Eugenia pyramidalis O.Berg; Eugenia pyramidalis var. angustifolia O.Berg; Eugenia pyrroclada O.Berg; Eugenia pyrroclada var. columbiensis O.Berg; Eugenia pyrroclada var. guianensis O.Berg; Eugenia rhombocarpa O.Berg; Eugenia romana O.Berg; Eugenia romana var. pickeli Mattos; Eugenia rubrescens Mattos & D.Legrand; Eugenia sabulosa Cambess.; Eugenia sancta DC.; Eugenia spathophylla O.Berg; Eugenia spathulata O.Berg; Eugenia subalterna Benth.; Eugenia subcorymbosa O.Berg; Eugenia suffruticosa O.Berg; Eugenia suffruticosa var. laeta O.Berg; Eugenia suffruticosa var. latifolia O.Berg; Eugenia suffruticosa var. opaca O.Berg; Eugenia surinamensis Miq.; Eugenia surinamensis var. impunctata O.Berg; Eugenia surinamensis var. punctata O.Berg; Eugenia triphylla O.Berg; Eugenia vaga O.Berg; Eugenia vaga var. brachypoda (DC.) O.Berg; Eugenia vaga var. brasiliensis O.Berg; Eugenia vaga var. dipoda (DC.) O.Berg; Eugenia vaga var. pumila O.Berg; Eugenia vaga var. punicifolia (Kunth) O.Berg; Eugenia vaga var. rigida O.Berg; Myrtus arbutifolia (O.Berg) Kuntze Myrtus oleifolia Kunth Myrtus psychotrioides Colla Myrtus punicifolia Kunth Pseudomyrcianthes kochiana (DC.) Kausel