Eugenia capensis subsp. natalitia

Eugenia capensis, the dune myrtle, is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae, which is native to East and southern Africa.

Description

A shrub or tree which can reach 8 m tall. It has spreading branches. The trunk is smooth and cream coloured. The leaves are dark green and leathery. The leaves have a sweet smell. The young leaves are soft and light pink. The leaves are shiny and grow opposite one another along the branch. The leaves are a duller green underneath. They are 2.5-8 cm long and 1.3-3.8 cm wide. They are oval in shape but taper towards each end. The edge of the leaf does not have teeth but it is often rolled inwards and wavy. The midrib is easily visible and is sunken on the top of the leaf and raised under the leaf. The side veins are indistinct. The leaf stalk is grooved along its length. The flowers are white and fluffy. They are on slender stalks either near the leaves or on old wood. The fruit is round and 0.8-1.3 cm across. At the end of the fruit the flower continues like a crown. The fruit has a large round stone. The fruit flesh is edible.

Edible Uses

The round fruits with edible flesh are eaten.

Traditional Uses

The fruit is eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It occurs in South Africa mostly on dunes and in coastal areas. It can occur on the edges of forests. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens.

Where It Grows

Africa, Australia, East Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

It can be grown as a hedge.

Production

In the southern hemisphere flowering is about October to December.

Notes

There are about 550 Eugenia species. They are mostly in tropical and subtropical South America.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Bosmirt, Ijobe, Inchitsamuti, Lijobe, Lijoye, Mutulumembe, Tinkelenkele, Tshitawatawane, Tshitulumembe

References (8)

• Long, C., 2005, Swaziland's Flora - siSwati names and Uses http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/ (As Eugenia natalitia)
• Magwede, K., van Wyk, B.-E., & van Wyk, A. E., 2019, An inventory of Vhavenḓa useful plants. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 57–89 (As Eugenia natalitia)
• Palmer, E and Pitman, N., 1972, Trees of Southern Africa. Vol. 3. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town p 1669 (As Eugenia natalitia)
• Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 154 (As Eugenia natalitia)
• Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 81 (As Eugenia natalitia)

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