Rusty guava
Psidium rufum

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 4-5 m tall. The crown is round and dense. The young branches have reddish-brown hairs. The bark is thin and smooth. The trunk is twisted and 15-30 cm across. The bark is thin and fairly smooth. It peels off in irregular plates. The leaves are simple and opposite. They are rigid and papery and have reddish-brown hairs underneath. They are 4-7 cm long and 2-3 cm wide and wavy along the edge. The flowers occur singly on a stalk 10-15 mm long. The flowers are white. The fruit is a round fleshy fruit with 3-8 seeds inside.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in semi-deciduous forest in Brazil. It has been recorded at 1,270 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Brazil (country/location of origin), South America

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten fresh.

The fruit are not particularly popular.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The ripe fruit are harvested and allowed to soften in a plastic bag before the seeds are removed under running water. Fresh seed are planted. They germinate in 3-4 weeks.

Its other names

Local names

Araca-cagao, Araca-perinha, Araca-roxo, Guabiroba-do-mato

Synonyms

Abbevillea recurvata O. Berg; Abbevillea regeliana O. Berg; Campomanesia martiana O. Berg; Campomanesia recurvata (O. Berg) Nied.; Campomanesia regeliana (O. Berg) Kiaersk.; Guajava cuprea (O. Berg) Kuntze; Guajava macrosperma (O. Berg) Kuntze; Guajava pilosa (Vell.) Kuntze; Guajava widgreniana (O. Berg) Kuntze; Psidium cupreum O. Berg; Psidium cupreum var. glabratum Kiaersk.; Psidium lagoense Kiaersk; Psidium macrospermum O. Berg; Psidium pilosum var. rotundifolia (Kiaersk.) Mattos; Psidium rufum var. rotundifolium Kiaersk.; Psidium widgrenianum O. Berg;