Eugenia pitanga

(O. Berg) Nied.

Pitanga

Myrtaceae Edible: Fruit 18 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Eugenia pitanga, commonly known as pitanga do cerrado or savanna pitanga, is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is found in the savannahs and grasslands of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. It is a deciduous shrub that grows up to 2 metres tall, has rhizomatous rootstock allowing it to form dense thickets, and produces red, edible fruit, 15-25mm in diameter.

Description

A shrub. It loses its leaves during the year. It develops underground stems or rhizomes. It grows 2 m tall. It forms dense thickets. The leaves are alternate. They can be papery or leathery and are shiny. They are 4-5 cm long. The flowers are white and occur singly or in groups of 2-5 in the axils of leaves. The flower stalks are 1-3 cm long. The fruit are round berries with ridges. They have a thick pulp.

Edible Uses

The red fruit can be eaten raw and cooked in jellies etc. It is excellent for jams, jellies, syrups and ice cream. A thick, very succulent pulp with a pleasant, sweet-acidic flavour. The globose fruit is 15 - 25mm in diameter.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh. They are also cooked and used for jellies.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The leaves are aromatic and balsamic, antirheumatic and useful in the treatment of gout; they contain the alkaloid 'pitanguina', which is a substitute for 'quinine' in the treatment of fevers, especially telluric ones.

Distribution

A subtropical plant. It grows naturally in savannas and grasslands in Brazil. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,100 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Argentina, Asia, Brazil*, Pacific, Paraguay, Philippines, SE Asia, South America*,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed.

Other Uses

The wood is used for fuel. The plant has a rhizomatous rotstock and is used for making living hedges.

Notes

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

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Fruit	85.8	213	51	0.8	635	14	0.2	—

Synonyms

Eugenia camporum MorongEugenia dolichophylla Kiaersk.Eugenia montigena Barb.Rodr.Eugenia pitanga var. camporum (Morong) MattosEugenia pitanga var. venosa MattosLuma pitanga (O. Berg) HerterMyrtus pitanga (O. Berg) KuntzeStenocalyx pitanga O. Berg.Stenocalyx pitanga var. nana Mattos

Also Known As

Pitanga-peba

References (9)

Bortolotto, I. M., et al, 2018, Lista preliminar das plantas alimenticias nativas de Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Iheringia, Serie Botanica, Porto Alegre, 73 (supl.):101-116 (As Stenocalyx pitanga O. Berg)
Brack, P., et al, 2020, Frutas nativas do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: riqueza e potencial alimentício. Native fruits of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: richness and potential as food. Rodriguésia 71: e03102018.
Coronel, R.E., 1982, Fruit Collections in the Philippines. IBPGR Newsletter p 9
Enum. Myrt. Bras. 155. 1893
Fouqué, A., 1972, Espèces fruitières d'Amérique tropicale. Institut français de recherches fruitierès outre-mer

Show all 9 references

Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 300
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 357
Lorenzi, H., Bacher, L., Lacerda, M. & Sartori, S., 2006, Brazilian Fruits & Cultivated Exotics. Sao Paulo, Instituto Plantarum de Estuados da Flora Ltda. p 209
www.colecionandofrutas.org