Syzygium polycephaloides (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Syzygium polycephaloides (C.B. Robinson) Merr.

Protologue: Philipp. Journ. Sci., Bot. 79: 410 (1951).

Family: Myrtaceae

Synonyms

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

Vernacular names

• Philippines: lipote (Tagalog, Bukidnon), maigang (Bisaya), baligang (Bikol).

Distribution

Endemic in the Philippines (Luzon, Mindoro, Samar, Leyte) where it occurs wild and cultivated for the fruits.

Uses

The timber is reputed to be used as kelat. The fruits are edible and can be made into an excellent jelly.

Observations

• A small to medium-sized tree up to 25 m tall, bole up to 75(-90) cm in diameter, bark surface purplish-grey.
• Leaves elliptical, oblong to oblanceolate, 6-20 cm × 4-7.5 cm, with 14-18 pairs of distinct secondary veins, petiole up to 5 mm long or leaves subsessile.
• Flowers sessile in inflorescences from branches below the leaves, white, calyx c. 5 mm long, with 4 broad lobes.
• Fruit a subglobose berry, 1 cm in diameter, red to purple when ripe, on bare branches just below the leaves.

In primary forests at low and medium altitudes. Flowering and fruiting in May-June. The species is rare, but cultivation is increasing.

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.

• 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, 426, 533, 673. timbers

Authors

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