Syzygium curranii (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Syzygium curranii (C.B. Robinson) Merr.

Protologue: Philipp. Journ. Sci., Bot. 79: 386 (1951).

Family: Myrtaceae

Synonyms

• Eugenia curranii C.B. Robinson (1909).

Vernacular names

• Philippines: lipote (Tagalog), igot (Bisaya).

Distribution

Endemic in the Philippines (Luzon, Samar).

Uses

The fruit is rather acid for a dessert fruit but makes a good wine or jelly. The wood is used for boards.

Observations

• A small to medium-sized tree up to 15 m tall, bole up to 30 cm in diameter, bark surface scaly, pinkish-brown. Branches distinctly 4-angled.
• Leaves oblong, 15-29 cm × 4.5-8 cm, with 16-22 pairs of secondary veins, petiole 5-8 mm long.
• Flowers in panicles on short tubercles on stems and branches, white, pedicel up to 9 mm long, calyx c. 10 mm long, with 4 large, unequal lobes.
• Infructescences in clusters on trunk and branches.
• Fruit an ellipsoid berry, 1-2.5 cm in diameter, dark red to black, 1-seeded.

S. curranii is quite rare and occurs in primary forest at low altitudes.

Selected sources

• Brown, W.H., 1951-1957. Useful plants of the Philippines. Reprint of the 1941-1943 ed. 3 Volumes. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Technical Bulletin 10. Bureau of Printing, Manila, the Philippines.

• Guide to Philippine Flora and Fauna, (various editors), 1986. Vol. 1-4. Natural Resources Management Center, Ministry of Natural Resources & University of the Philippines, Manila, the Philippines.

• Mansfeld, R. & Schultze Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kuturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.

• Merrill, E.D., 1923-1925. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants. 4 Volumes. Government of the Philippine Islands, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bureau of Printing, Manila.

68, 125, 399, 426, 673. timbers

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen