Botanical Description.--A climbing shrub, 6-9° high, whose stem is
thickly set with long, opposite thorns. Leaves in stars of 3, oblong,
acute, entire, glabrous. Petioles very short. Flowers white, veined
with red, in axillary spikes. Calyx very long, nearly cylindrical,
5-toothed. Corolla, 5 petals, inserted between the teeth of the
calyx. Stamens 10, inserted on the calyx-tube, shorter than the
corolla, arranged in 2 series, 5 higher than the rest. Style the same
length as the stamens, united throughout nearly its entire length
with the wall of the calyx-tube from which it separates near the
stigma. Stigma rather bulky. Fruit 1' long, ovoid, 5 sharp ridges
in the woody, fragile, mahogany-colored pericarp, which contains a
pointed kernel at one end.
Habitat.--San Mateo, and along the shores of Luzon. Blooms in May.
MYRTACEÆ.
Myrtle Family.
_Psidium pomiferum_, L. (_P. aromaticum_ and _P. pyriferum_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Guayabas_, Sp.; _Bayabas_, _Guayabas_, _Tayabas_, Tag.,
and other dialects; _Guava_, Eng.
Uses.--The green fruit is acid and very astringent. The stage of
development when it is best eaten raw, is just before it ripens, for
then its acidity has lessened, it is not astringent and does not emit
the strong odor, so disagreeable to many, that characterizes the ripe
fruit. When fully ripe it is sweet, non-astringent and very bland,
and this is the stage when it is best for making the jellies and
preserves so popular in the Philippines.
The bark, especially that of the root, is highly astringent
and a decoction of it is used for diarrhoea and as a wash for
ulcers. Dr. Waitz has successfully used the following formula in
treating the chronic diarrhoea of children:
Root bark of guava 15 grams.
Water 180 grams.
Boil till reduced one half. Dose, a tablespoonful every 2 or 3 hours
according to age.
A decoction of the shoots is very useful in stomatitis, cutaneous
eruptions and ulcers. Dr. Waitz advises his formula in prolapsus
recti of children. It is also of value as an injection in diarrhoea
and dysentery.
Botanical Description.--A tree, about 10° high, branches square and
somewhat winged towards the ends. Leaves opposite, oblong, obtuse,
downy, aromatic in odor. Petiole very short. Flowers axillary,
solitary, white and fragrant. Calyx adherent, the border breaking in 3,
4 or more unequal parts when the flower expands. Corolla, 5-6 petals,
inserted on the calyx, curved downward. Stamens numerous, inserted
in the calyx, as long as the corolla. Style same length as stamens,
awl-shaped. Fruit somewhat pear-shaped, with 4 or 5 ribs that disappear
at maturity, 4 or more cells each with many small, hard, irregular
seeds. In the Philippines the fruit grows to the size of a small pear.
_Eugenia Jambolana_, Lam. (_Calyptranthes Jambolana_, Willd. and
Blanco; _Syzygium Jambolanum_, DC. and Blanco.)
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