Catesbaea spinosa

Linn.

Spanish guava, Lily-thorn

Rubiaceae Edible: Fruit 15 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A spiny evergreen shrub. It grows 3-4 m tall. The leaves are broadly oval and 5 cm long. They are dark green. They grow along the upper side of the arching branches. There are small spines in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are trumpet shaped. They hang down and are 15 cm long. The fruit is yellow. It has many small seeds.

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh and are also used for juices and jam.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh. They are also used for juices and jam.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It does well in a seasonally moist and dry climate. It can grow in an average, sandy, well-drained soil. It needs full or part sun. It does well in coastal locations. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Where It Grows

Asia, Bahamas, Caribbean, Central America, Cuba, Greater Antilles, Pakistan, West Indies,

Notes

There are 16-20 Catesbaea species. They grow in the West Indies.

Synonyms

Portlandia,

References (7)

Flora of Pakistan. www.eFloras.org
Fouqué, A., 1972, Espèces fruitières d'Amérique tropicale. Institut français de recherches fruitierès outre-mer
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 175
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 198
Llamas, K.A., 2003, Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press. p 325

Show all 7 references