Hoja menuda, Maria-preta, Murta, Uvatinga
Siphoneugena densiflora

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 4-12 m tall. The trunk is short and crooked. The leaves are narrowly oval and taper to a long tip. They are papery and 4-14 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. The flowers are in groups in the axils of leaves. They are white. The fruit is a smooth berry with sweet pulp. The fruit are 1 cm across. There are 1-4 seeds.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in mountains and rocky grasslands in semi-deciduous forests in Brazil.

Countries/locations it is found in

Brazil (country/location of origin), South America

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. The seeds are collected by shaking ripe fruit onto canvas then allowing the fruit to partly decompose so that the seeds can be washed out under running water. Seeds need to be planted fresh in light shade. Seedlings emerge in 30-40 days.

Plants grow at a moderate rate.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Calycorectes densiflorus (O. Berg.) Nied.; Plinia densiflora (O. Berg.) Burret; Plinia dussii (Krug & Urb.) Urb.; Marlierea dussii Krug & Urb.; Paramitranthes bracteata Burret;