Syzygium paniculatum  

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms > Eudicots > Rosids > Malvids >  Myrtaceae > Syzygium paniculatum

Other links:     

Plant  information

Common name:              Magenta Lillipilli

Conservation status:    unkown

Etymology:   

Flowers:                  

Fruit:                         

Leaves:         

Stem & branches: 

• 20–30 m tall

• Some with a diameter at breast height of 1.5 m 

Roots:         

Habit:        

• Trees 20–30 m tall

Habitat:   

Distribution:                  

• • Eastern side of Jervis Bay

Additional notes:     

• Cultivation and consumption

  • It is commonly cultivated in eastern Australia and elsewhere

  • Well known as an edible wild fruit with a pleasantly sour apple-like flavour, it is eaten fresh or cooked into jams

  • The 1889 book 'The Useful Native Plants of Australia’ records that the synonymous Eugenia myrtifolia had common names including brush cherry and native myrtle

  • It also stated that "The red juice of the fruit of this tree is similar in its properties to that of red grapes

  • It contains free tartaric acid, cream of tartar, sugar, and red colouring matter very sensitive to the action of acids and alkalies

  • By fermentation it yields wine possessing a bouquet

  • The colouring matter, which is soluble in alcohol and ether-alcohol, but not in pure ether, is precipitated by lead-acetate, decolourised by reducing agents, and recovers its red colour on exposure to the air, just like litmus and the red colour of wine 

  • Syzygium paniculatum is commonly confused with Syzygium australe, the brush cherry

Sources of information:

• (2023)