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Psidium guajava

(Abas, Common Guava, Guajava, Guava, Tropical Guava)

Overview:

Shrub or tree from tropical America, with yellow or brownish lemon-shaped and sized fruit, pink or cream colored inside. Used for jam, jelly and juice.

Conservation Status

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Population Analysis

  • For the 835,580 species in the Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons), we average 4.30 observations each in our database; for the Tropical Guava, we have 549 observations. Compared to other species in this Class, this species is extremely common.
  • A two-sample t-test can be used to determine whether the trend in observations of the Tropical Guava is the same as the trend in observations of Magnoliopsida. Is this species just as common, as a proportion of all observations, as it once was? The answer is no, changes in observation rate of this species significantly differ from changes in observation rate of its Class. (t=3.691, p<0.001)
  • How do observation rates of the Tropical Guava differ from those of Magnoliopsida? To answer this, we examined the percentage of observerations for Magnoliopsida that were observations of the Tropical Guava each year. We then correlated this percentage with observation year. If observations of the Tropical Guava are becoming more common relative to other species of Magnoliopsida, the correlation should be positive, but if it is becoming less common, the correlation should be negative. In fact, the correlation is negative (r=-.08), with a negative slope (m = -.000), suggesting that the Tropical Guava may be in decline relative to other species of Magnoliopsida. This correlation is statistically significant. (F = 59.32, p<.05)
  • The scatter chart to the right shows the percentage of all observations for Magnoliopsida each year that were observations of the Tropical Guava.

Uses as Product: Berry/Nut/Seed Product: Yes • Christmas Tree Product: No • Fodder Product: No • Fuelwood Product: None • Lumber Product: No • Naval Store Product: No • Nursery Stock Product: Yes • Post Product: No • Pulpwood Product: No • Veneer Product: No

Edibility: Palatable Browse Animal: Low • Palatable Graze Animal: Low • Palatable Human: Yes • Toxicity: None

Taxonomy

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  • Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes

Notes:

An accepted name in the RHS Horticultural Database.

Place of publication: Sp. pl. 1:470. 1753

Name verified on 23-Mar-1993 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 17-Oct-1995

Physical Description

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Family Myrtaceae:

Trees or shrubs, evergreen, usually with essential oils-containing cavities in foliage, branchlets, and flowers. Stipules absent or small and caducous. Leaves opposite, occasionally alternate, occasionally ternate or pseudo-whorled; leaf blade with secondary veins pinnate or basal, often with intramarginal veins near margin, margin usually entire. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, cymose but variously arranged, 1- to many-flowered. Flowers bisexual, sometimes polygamous, actinomorphic. Hypanthium usually adnate to ovary and prolonged above it. Calyx lobes (3 or) 4 or 5 or more, distinct or connate into a calyptra. Petals 4 or 5, sometimes absent, distinct or connate into a calyptra, sometimes coherent and pseudocalyptrate. Stamens usually numerous, in 1 to several whorls; filaments distinct or connate into 5 bundles opposite petals; anthers 2-celled, dorsifixed or basifixed, dehiscing longitudinally or rarely terminally; connectives usually terminating in 1 or more apical glands. Ovary inferior, semi-inferior, or very rarely superior, carpels 2 to more, locules 1 to many, pseudoseptum sometimes present, placentation usually axile but occasionally parietal; ovules 1 to several per locule. Style single; stigma single. Fruit a capsule, berry, drupaceous berry, or drupe, 1- to many-seeded. Seeds without endosperm or endosperm sparse and thin; testa cartilaginous or thinly membranous, sometimes absent; embryo straight or curved.

About 130 genera and 4500-5000 species: Mediterranean region, sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, tropical and temperate Asia, Australia, Pacific islands, tropical and South America; 10 genera (five introduced) and 121 species (50 endemic, 32 introduced treated here) in China.

Many Myrtaceae are cultivated garden ornamentals, street trees, or plantation trees. Some members of tribe Syzygieae are grown as fruit crops. In addition to the cultivated members of the family treated here, some others grown in China include Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burrett (Feijoa sellowiana (O. Berg) O. Berg), Myrtus communis Linnaeus, and Syncarpia glomulifera (Smith) Niedenzu.[1]

Genus Psidium:

Shrubs or small trees. Bark gray, smooth. Branchlets pubescent. Leaves opposite, petiolate; leaf blade pinnately veined. Flowers axillary, large, usually 1 or 2 per axil. Bracts 2. Hypanthium campanulate or urceolate. Calyx lobes 4 or 5, unequal. Petals 4 or 5, white. Stamens many, separate, in many whorls; anthers ellipsoid, basifixed, locules parallel, longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary inferior, adnate to hypanthium, 4- or 5-loculed or more; ovules numerous. Style linear; stigma expanded. Berry globose to pyriform, fleshy, many-seeded, apex with persistent calyx lobes; placenta well developed, fleshy. Seed coat hard; embryo curved; hypocotyl long; cotyledons short.

About 150 species: tropical America; two species commonly cultivated in China with one naturalized.[2]

Habit: Tree, Shrub • Growth Form: Single Stem • Shape and Orientation: Erect

Flowers: Bloom Period: Spring • Flower Color: White • Flower Conspicuous: No

Seeds: Seed per Pound: 36200 • Seed Spread Rate: Moderate • Seedling Vigor: Medium • Fruit/Seed Abundance: High • Fruit/Seed Color: Yellow • Fruit/Seed Conspicuous: Yes • Cold Stratification Required: No

Foliage: Foliage Color: Green • Foliage Porosity Summer: Moderate • Foliage Porosity Winter: Moderate • Foliage Texture: Medium • Fall Conspicuous: No • Leaf Retention: Yes

Images:

Distribution

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Range and Population

Native: .

Reproduction

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Duration: Perennial • Coppice Potential: No • Progagated by Bulbs: No • Propagated by Bare Root: Yes • Propagated by Container: Yes • Propagated by Corms: No • Propagated by Cuttings: Yes • Propagated by Seed: Yes • Propagated by Sod: No • Propagated by Sprigs: No • Propagated by Tubers: No • Fruit/Seed Period Begin: Summer • Fruit/Seed Period End: Summer • Fruit/Seed Persistence: Yes • Fruit/Seed Persistence: Yes

Growth

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Culture: Space 20-30' apart.

Soil: Adapted to Medium Textured: Adapted to Medium Textured Soils • Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils: Yes • Anaerobic Tolerance: Low • Salinity Tolerance: Medium • CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium • Minimum pH: 5.5 • Maximum pH: 7.0 • Fertility Requirement: Medium

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun. • Shade Tolerance: Intermediate

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: Medium • Minimum Precipitation: 40 • Maximum Precipitation: 150 • Moisture Use: Medium

Temperature: Minimum Temperature (F): 33 • Minimum Frost Free Days: 365 • Cold Hardiness: 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Psidium:

There are approximately 542 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: P. acidum · P. acranthum · P. acre · P. acunae · P. acutangulam · P. acutangulum · P. acutangulum var. acidum · P. acutangulum var. crassirame · P. acutangulum var. oblongata · P. acutangulum var. tenuirame · P. acutatum · P. adamantium · P. aerugineum · P. aerugineum var. angustifolium · P. affine · P. alatum · P. albescens · P. albidum · P. albidum var. cuneatum · P. amplexicaule (Mountain Guava) · P. amygdalinum · P. anceps · P. androsianum · P. anglohondurense · P. angustifolium · P. anthomega · P. apaense · P. apiculatum · P. apodanthum · P. appendiculatum · P. apricum · P. apysa · P. aquaticum · P. aquaticum var. triflorum · P. aquaticum var. uniflorum · P. araca · P. araca var. sampaionis · P. araciforme · P. araneosum · P. arasa-hu · P. arasa-pe · P. arasope-mi · P. arayan · P. arboreum · P. argenteum · P. argenteum var. angustifolium · P. argenteum var. grandifolium · P. argenteum var. pumilum · P. argenteum var. purpureum · P. argentum · P. aromaticum · P. aromaticum var. grandiflorum · P. atiraense · P. australe · P. australe var. argenteum · P. australe var. suffruticosum · P. bahorucanum · P. balium · P. barbosianum · P. basanthum · P. benthamianum · P. bergianum · P. berteroana · P. berteroanum · P. biloculare · P. blanchetianum · P. brasiliensis · P. brevifolium · P. brownianum · P. bullatum · P. buxifolium · P. cacuminis · P. calycolpoides · P. calyptranthoides (Luquillo Mountain Guava) · P. campestre · P. campicolum · P. campomanesioides · P. campomanisioides · P. caninum · P. canum · P. capibaryense · P. catleyanum · P. cattleianum (Cattley Guava) · P. cattleianum f. lucidum · P. cattleianum lucidum (Kuawa-Lemi) · P. cattleianum Sabine var. cattleianum Sabine · P. cattleianum Sabine var. littorale (Raddi) Fosberg · P. cattleyanum · P. cattleyanum var. coriacea · P. cattleyanum var. littorale · P. cattleyanum var. pyriformis · P. caudatum · P. celastroides · P. cerasoides · P. cfacutangulum · P. chiapasense · P. chiapense · P. chinense · P. chodatianum · P. chrysobalanoides

Bibliography

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  • Conant, P. et al. 1997. Appendix. Selected plant species interfering with resource management goals in North American natural areas. In J. O. Luken & J. W. Thieret, eds., Assessment and management of plant invasions. (Pl Invasion)
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More Info

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Notes

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Contributors:

  • Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 14, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 28 providers.
  • USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 30, 2008)

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 14, 2007:

Identifiers:

Footnotes:

  1. Jie Chen & Lyn A. Craven "Myrtaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 13 Page 321. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
  2. "Psidium". in Flora of China Vol. 13 Page 321, 331. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.

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Last Revised: May 15, 2008