Samak myrtle tree
Syzygium acuminatissimum

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree with many slender, round, smooth smaller branches. It is evergreen and grows 12-30 m high. The trunk is 60 cm across. It has small buttresses or stilt roots. The bark is grey or red brown. It is smooth but can be cracked. The leaves are papery. The leaves are scattered and opposite. They are oblong and sharply pointed at the tip but blunt at the base. They are 4.5-15 cm long by 1.5-5.5 cm wide. The midrib forms a channel on the upper surface. The flowering cluster is 3.5 cm long. The flowers are 4 mm across. The flowers are white or pale yellow. They do not have stalks. The stamens protrude. The fruit are red to black and fleshy. The fruit is hard and egg shaped sideways. The fruit are 1 cm across.

There are 15-25 Acmena species - now in Syzygiums. They occur in tropical Asia and Australia. There are about 500-1,000 Syzygium species. They are mostly in tropical and subtropical South America. There has been some confusion between Eugenia and Syzygium. Syzygium had short fruit stalks.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. They are widely scattered in dry forests and along wooded river banks throughout the Philippines. In Vietnam it is mostly below 1,000 m altitude. It can grow in mixed forests up to 3,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Cambodia, China, Cuba, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fleshy layer of the fruit is eaten raw. It is acidic. The fruit is sour and eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. They can also be grown from cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Arang, Binoloan, Dial besar, Heyas, Kayu arang, Kelat api, Kelat asam, Kelat belian, Kelat bukit, Kelat jambu, Kelat lapis, Kelat merah, Ki sireum beureum, Klampok, Pohon jambu kelat, Pohon jambu samak, Obah, Thao, Ubah samak, Wuluhan

Synonyms

Acmena acuminatissima (Blume) Merr. & L. M. Perry; Acmena dielsii Merr. & L. M. Perry; Acmena laevifolia (Ridl.) Merr. & L. M. Perry; Acmena polyantha (K. Schum. & Lauterb.) Merr. & L. M. Perry; Eugenia acuminatissima (Blume) Kurz [Illegitimate]; Eugenia attenuatifolia Merr.; Eugenia cumingiana Vidal; Eugenia cuspidato-obovata Hayata; Eugenia eucaudata Elmer ex Merr. [Invalid]; Eugenia gardneri Fern.-Vill.; Eugenia laevifolia Ridl.; Eugenia subdecurrens (Miq.) Merr. & Chun; Myrtus acuminatissima Blume; Syzygium cumingianum (Vidal) Gibbs; Syzygium cuspidato-obovatum (Hayata) Mori; Syzygium subdecurrens Miq.; Xenodendron polyanthum K. Schum. & Lauterb.;