Psidium guineense Sw., Myrtaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Psidium aracá Raddi; Psidium molle Bertol; Psidium schiedeanum Berg.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Brazilian guava, Guinea guava

French: goyavier du Brésil

Spanish: guayaba ágria

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Shrubs or small tree to 6 m tall, the branchlets subcylindrical; leaves to 12.5 cm long, the blades ovate to oblong-elliptic, rusty-pubescent beneath; flowers white, solitary or few together on slender peduncles, fragrant; fruit ovoid, brownish-green, turning to pale yellow when ripe, slightly acid."  (Welsh, 1998)"The Brazilian guava is a relatively slow-growing shrub 3 to 10 ft (1-3 m) tall; sometimes a tree to 23 ft (7 m); with grayish bark, hairy young shoots and cylindrical or slightly flattened branchlets. The evergreen, grayish leaves, 1 1/3 to 5 1/2 in (3.5-14 cm) long and 1 to 3 1/8 (2.5-8 cm wide), are stiff, oblong, elliptic, ovate or obovate, sometimes finely toothed; scantily hairy on the upper side but coated beneath with pale or rusty hairs and distinctly dotted with glands. Flowers, borne singly or in clusters of 3 in the leaf axils, are white and have 150 to 200 prominent stamens. The fruit, round or pear-shaped, is from 1/8 to 1 in (1-2.5 cm) wide, with yellow skin, thick, pale-yellowish flesh surrounding the white central pulp, and of acid, resinous, slightly strawberry-like flavor. It contains numerous small, hard seeds and is quite firm even when fully ripe" (Morton, 1987; p. 367).

"This plant is similar to P. guajava, but the twigs are not angled or slightly so, the leaf blades are elliptic, narrowly cuneate at the base, and sparingly hairy beneath, the flowers are up to 1.8 cm wide, and the fruit to 2 cm thick.  The fruit is smaller than the common guava, and is described as too bitter or resinous to be palatable"  (Welsh, 1998; pp. 200-201).

Habitat/ecology:  "The plant will not develop satisfactorily on light sandy soil" (Morton, 1987; p. 367).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Tropical America

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: B.G. Decker 2662 (PAP) Planted
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: B.G. Decker 1100 (PAP), M.-H. Sachet 1226 (PAP), D.H. Lorence, W.L. Wagner, J. Florence, S.P. Perlman & S.L. Montgomery 6261 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Mohotani (Mohotane, Mohotane) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 39518) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2004) (voucher ID: PTBG 42235) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence & R. Tahuaitu 11675 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 643417) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (pp. 200-201) Voucher cited: Fosberg & Sachet 63220
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 10346 (PAP), J. Florence 11978 (PAP), J. Florence & P. Birnbaum 9944 (PAP), F.R. Fosberg & M.-H. Sachet 63220 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1989) (voucher ID: BISH 601595) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 644081) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1993) (voucher ID: BISH 658375) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (pp. 200-201) Vouchers cited: Florence et al. 9700, Florence 9739
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 6650 (PAP), J. Florence 9739 (PAP), J. Florence & P. Birnbaum 9776 (PAP), P. Birnbaum 32 (PAP), P. Birnbaum 100 (PAP), J. Florence , P. Birnbaum & M. Guérin 9700 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 558143) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 601531) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 601583) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 601594) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium guineense Sw.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 192) Cultivated?
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2011) (p. Voucher specimen) Voucher cited: Lau 2295 (BISH 503020)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 6)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Additional information:
Information from the Purdue University NewCROP web site.

Additional online information about Psidium guineense is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Psidium guineense as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Psidium guineense may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1988. Voucher specimen #BISH 558143 (Birnbaum, P. 100).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1988. Voucher specimen #BISH 601531 (J.Florence 9739).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1988. Voucher specimen #BISH 601583 (J.Florence 9700).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1988. Voucher specimen #BISH 601594 (J.Florence 9776).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1989. Voucher specimen #BISH 601595 (J.Florence 9944).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1990. Voucher specimen #BISH 644081 (Florence 10346).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1992. Voucher specimen #BISH 643417 (Florence 11675).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1993. Voucher specimen #BISH 658375 (Florence 11978).

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2011. Annotated Checklist of Cultivated Plants of Hawai‘i (online searchable database).

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

Morton, Julia F. 1987. Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, Florida.

Queensland Herbarium. 2002. Invasive Naturalised Plants in Southeast Queensland, alphabetical by genus. Modified from: Batianoff, George N. and Butler, Don W. (2002). Assessment of Invasive naturalized plants in south-east Queensland. Appendix. Plant Protection Quarterly 17, 27-34. 11 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.