Surinam Cherry

Shrubs or trees, to 5 m tall, generally glabrous. Petiole ca. 1.5 mm; leaf blade ovate to elliptic, 3.2-4.2 × 2.3-3 cm, papery, both surfaces dark green, glabrous, and with numerous pellucid glands, secondary veins ca. 5 on each side of midvein, slightly conspicuous, and at an angle of ca. 45° from midvein, intramarginal veins ca. 2 mm from margin, base rounded, slightly cordate, or cuneate, apex acuminate, mucronate, or obtuse. Flowers white, slightly fragrant. Calyx lobes 4, long elliptic, reflexed. Petals white. Berries dark red when ripe, globose, 1-2 cm in diam., 8-ridged, 1- or 2-seeded. Fl. spring.

Cultivated in Fujian, Sichuan, Taiwan, and Yunnan [native to South America (Brazil)].

Eugenia brasiliana (Linnaeus) Aublet; E. michelii Lamarck, nom. illeg. superfl.; Myrtus brasiliana Linnaeus; Stenocalyx michelii O. Berg, nom. illeg. superfl.; S. uniflorus (Linnaeus) Kausel.