Syzygium

Genus of Myrtaceae

Food, Plant source foods, Plants (Plantae), Flowering plats (angiospermae), Mesangiosperms, Eudicots, Core eudicots, Superrosids, Rosids, Malvids (Eurosids II), Myrtales, Myrtaceae

Consumption area(s): Earth

Note: For better understanding, please read the article on flowering plants (angiospermae) first. If you come across unfamiliar words, you can click on any highlighted term to open the glossary with definitions of key botanical terms.

Introduction

Syzygium is a large genus of flowering plants within the Myrtaceae. It includes approximately 1,200 species and occupies an extensive native range stretching from Africa and Madagascar, across southern Asia, and into the Pacific region. The greatest concentration of species occurs between Malaysia and northeastern Australia, an area where botanical diversity is exceptionally high and where numerous taxa remain insufficiently studied or not yet formally described.

The remarkable variability within the genus is evident even in basic morphological traits such as leaf size, which can range from just over 1 centimeter in length to nearly 1.5 meters in certain species from New Caledonia.

Description of Syzygium

The majority of species within Syzygium are evergreen trees or shrubs, typically characterized by dense, glossy foliage. Several groups are cultivated as ornamental plants due to their decorative leaves, while others produce edible fruits, commonly referred to as rose apples, which are consumed fresh or processed.

From an economic perspective, the most significant species is Syzygium aromaticum, the source of cloves, a globally important spice obtained from its unopened flower buds. Many fruit-bearing species are cultivated throughout tropical regions worldwide, and in certain island ecosystems some have become invasive.

Classification of Syzygium

This genus is in turn divided according to species. Among these we find:

• Brush cherry
• Cloves
• Coolamon (or Durobby)
• Jambul (or Jambolan, Black plum, Duhat plum, Jambolan plum)
• Java apple (or Makopa, Java rose apple, Samarang rose apple, Water apple, Wax jambu, Wax apple)
• Lady apple
• Magenta lillypilly (or Magenta cherry)
• Malay apple (or Malacca apple, Malay rose apple, Mountain apple, Otaheite cashew)
• ʻŌhiʻa ha
• Onionwood
• Roseapple (or plum, Plum rose, Rose apple)
• Riberry (or cherry satinash)
• Shore eugenia
• Water apple (or bell fruit, water cherry, watery rose apple)