atoll research bulletin no. 392 the flora of - Smithsonian Institution ...

MYRTACEAE (Myrtle Family)
Eucalyptus sp. "eucalyptus", "gum tree"
Recent introduction. Australia. Rare. Tree with peeling bark; leaves, aromatic;
flowers, petals absent, with numerous showy stamens; fruit, a woody capsule, opening by
slits; seeds, small and numerous. Planted ornamental tree in Nauruan houseyard garden.
6.
Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. "allspice"
syn. P. oficinalis Lindl.; Myrtus pimcma L. ; M. dioica L.
Recent introduction. C. America and W. Indies. Rare. Small to medium tree, 6 to
12 m high, with nearly smooth silvery-brown bark and brittle wood; leaves, 5 to 20 cm
long and 2 to 8 cm wide, opposite, narrowly elliptic to elliptic-oblong, bluntly acute,
obtuse to rounded at base, thick, coriaceous, glabrous, dark green above and paler and
gland-dotted beneath, pinnately veined, mid-rib impressed above and prominent below,
highly aromatic; petiolzs, usually 1 to 1.5 cm long; inflorescences, many-flowered,
subterminal axillary (in axils of the upper leaves) cymose panicles, 5 to 15 cm long;
pedicels, about 1 cm long, pubescent, with small brownish bracteoles; calyx, 4-sepaled
campanulate with spreading persistent lobes about 2 mm long; corolla, about 8 to 10 mm
in diameter, 4-petaled, petals, about 4 inm long, rounded, reflexed, white, spreading,
caducous; stamens numerous, free; fruit, 5 to 7 mm in diameter, a small subglobose
berry, dark purple when mature, with sweet pulpy mesocarp; seeds, usually 2, sub-
globose with a spiral embryo. Planted ornamental seedling in home garden. 6.
Psidium guajava L.
kuwawa (N); tekuwawa (K); kuava (T)
syn. P. pom.iferum L.
"guava"
Recent introduction? Trop. America. Common. Shrub or small, shallow-rooted
tree, 2 to 10 m high, with smooth green, light reddish-brown or copper-colored bark,
wide-spreading branches, and pubescent 4-angled or -winged young branches, often
producing suckers from roots near base of trunk; leaves 5 to 15 cm long and 3 to 7 cm
wide, opposite, ovate-elliptic or oblong-elliptic, acute-acuminate, base obtuse to rounded,
dull green, pubescent beneath, often rather brittle, lateral veins 7 to 20 per side, slightly
sunken above: prominent below; petioles, 2 to 10 mm long inflorescences, axillary-
solitary or in 2- to 3-flowered cymes; peduncle, about 1 to 2 cm long, pubescent; calyx,
4- to 6-lobed, campanulate, splitting irregularly, lobes 1 to 1.5 cm long, reflexed,
pubescent, persistent; corolla, about 2.5 to 3 cm across, petals 4 or 5, elliptic to obovate,
slightly concave, reflexed, white, slightly fragrant, fugaceous; stamens, numerous (about