Psidium friedrichsthalinum

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Psidium friedrichsthalinum
• wild guava

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Calyptropsidium friedrichsthalianum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Myrtales, falling into the family Myrtaceae. Finally, the species is identified by its genus, Psidium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several key regions in North and Central America. In Mexico, its presence is documented throughout both the Southwest and Southeast territories. Moving south into Central America, the species can be found within the borders of Belize. The range also extends into El Salvador, where it occupies specific ecological niches. Additionally, its geographical reach includes the diverse landscapes of Costa Rica.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Psidium friedrichsthalianum is characterized by its broad adaptability to varying altitudinal gradients, allowing it to colonize diverse landscapes. It thrives across an expansive elevational range, occupying habitats from sea level up to a maximum altitude of 1560 m AMSL. This wide distribution from 0 m AMSL suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, enabling the species to persist in both lowland tropical environments and mid-elevation montane zones. Such an elevational breadth indicates that the plant can withstand a variety of thermal regimes and moisture availability patterns found within these different altitudinal strata.

Elevational range max:

1560 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Psidium friedrichsthalianum is characterized by its status as a perennial species, ensuring its long-term presence within its natural habitat. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its stem or branches well above the ground level, facilitating its growth and structural development over multiple seasons. It exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year rather than shedding it seasonally. Additionally, its ecological classification includes traits consistent with a nanophanerophyte, reflecting its specific growth habit and stature within its environment.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Psidium friedrichsthalianum is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that is entirely self-supporting, neither functioning as a climber nor as a parasite, as it remains an independent organism. This terrestrial species exhibits a significant vertical stature, with an average plant height of approximately 8 meters, though it can reach a maximum height of up to 19 meters. As a non-epiphytic, terrestrial plant, it establishes itself firmly in the soil rather than growing upon other vegetation or in aquatic environments.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

19 m

Plant height mean:

8 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Psidium friedrichsthalianum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. In terms of leaf tissue composition, the plant exhibits specific structural investments, with a mean Leaf Dry Matter Content (LDMC) of 476.95 mg/g. This value reflects the density of organic matter within the leaves and fluctuates across different specimens, showing a minimum value of 373.9 mg/g and a maximum value of 580 mg/g. Additionally, regarding nutrient acquisition strategies, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nitrogen availability to support its physiological demands.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) max:

580 mg/g

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

476.95 mg/g

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) min:

373.9 mg/g

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Psidium friedrichsthalianum is characterized by the production of specific seed structures that exhibit highly uniform morphological traits. The seeds produced by this species are remarkably consistent in their physical dimensions, with a mean seed length of 4.7 mm, a value that serves as both the minimum and maximum recorded length (4.7 mm), indicating a lack of significant size variation within the observed sample. Furthermore, the seed mass is equally standardized, maintaining a consistent mean, minimum, and maximum mass of 0.0475 g. This uniformity in both length and mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive output regarding the individual seed characteristics of the plant.

Seed length mean:

4.7 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.0475 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Psidium friedrichsthalianum has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ellagitannins, Hydroxycinnamic Acids.

Ellagitannins

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Hydroxycinnamic Acids

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)