yellow guava

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Guava Tree
• Guave Tree
• Guyaba
• common guava
• lemon guava
• yellow guava

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Myrtus guajava
• Psidium pomiferum var. sapidissimum
• Guajava pumila
• Psidium pumilum
• Psidium cujavillus
• Psidium guajava var. minor
• Psidium sapidissimum
• Psidium guajava var. cujavillum
• Psidium vulgare
• Guajava pyrifera
• Psidium pumilum var. guadalupense
• Psidium prostratum
• Psidium pyriferum var. glabrum
• Syzygium ellipticum
• Psidium longifolium
• Psidium igatemyense
• Psidium intermedium
• Psidium angustifolium
• Psidium cujavus
• Psidium globosum
• Psidium fragrans
• Psidium pumilum var. rufescens
• Psidium pumilum var. intermedium
• Psidium guajava f. cujavillus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Myrtales and the family Myrtaceae, it is classified under the genus Psidium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several distinct regions. Within the Macaronesian archipelago, it can be found growing in the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, and Madeira. Additionally, its range extends into West Tropical Africa. Specifically, it is documented in the nations of Burkina and Gambia. Consequently, this species occupies both Atlantic islands and mainland African territories.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Psidium guajava is characterized by a broad adaptive capacity across diverse altitudinal gradients, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) to elevations as high as 2040 m AMSL. This species demonstrates significant environmental plasticity, notably thriving within the Cerrado biome, where it integrates into the complex mosaic of tropical savannas. Its ability to inhabit such a wide elevational range allows it to occupy various ecological niches, from lowland tropical regions to higher-altitude subtropical environments, while maintaining its presence in seasonally dry or nutrient-variable landscapes.

Elevational range max:

2040 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Cerrado

Genetics

The genetics of Psidium guajava are characterized by significant chromosomal variability and complex karyotypic arrangements. The plant exhibits a diverse range of chromosome numbers, with documented values including 21, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 44. Despite this numerical variation across different accessions and populations, the species is fundamentally categorized at a diploid ploidy level, with a ploidy value of 2. This genetic structure contributes to the evolutionary plasticity and adaptability of the species within its various natural and cultivated environments.

Chromosome number :

21 28, 30, 32 34, 44

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Psidium guajava is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. Classified as a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated woody stems, a trait further supported by its designation as a phanerophyte in terms of its structural growth habit. It exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year, providing continuous vegetative activity.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Psidium guajava is characterized by its growth form, which primarily manifests as a woody tree or shrub. It is a self-supporting, non-climbing plant that functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor an epiphyte, and it is strictly terrestrial in its habitat. The plant exhibits significant structural variation in size, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 3 m to a maximum of 10 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 10.65 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

10.65 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Psidium guajava is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The leaves exhibit an elliptic form with entire margins and are notably devoid of thorns, spines, or succulence. Morphologically, the leaves vary in size, with a mean length of 9 cm (ranging from a minimum of 4.5 cm to a maximum of 16.5 cm) and a mean width of 6 cm (ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 8.5 cm). The leaf dry matter content (LDMC) is recorded at a consistent value of 425.7 mg/g across its minimum, mean, and maximum ranges, reflecting the structural density of the foliar tissue. Furthermore, the plant maintains a stem specific density (SSD) with a mean of 706 mg/cm³. It does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nutrient availability to support its physiological development.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

425.7 mg/g

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

16.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

9 cm

Leaf length min:

4.5 cm

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

8.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

6 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

706 mg/cm³

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Psidium guajava is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by insects such as bees. The plant produces white flowers that typically range in length from 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Self-fertilization is present, facilitating the development of its fruit. The resulting fruit is a fleshy, indehiscent berry that serves as the primary vessel for seed dispersal. These berries vary in size, with a mean length of 5.5 cm (ranging from 3 cm to a maximum of 8 cm) and a mean width of 3.5 cm (ranging from 3 cm to a maximum of 5 cm). The dispersal syndrome is predominantly zoochorous, though it also exhibits anthropochorous patterns. Within the fruit, the seeds are numerous and vary in dimensions; seed length ranges from 1 mm to 6 mm, and seed volume ranges from a minimum of 16 mm³ to a maximum of 91 mm³, with a mean volume of 37.4 mm³. The individual seeds are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.0109 g, a minimum mass of 0.00735 g, and a maximum mass of 0.01262 g.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower length max:

1.5 cm

Flower length min:

1 cm

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

8 cm

Fruit length mean:

5.5 cm

Fruit length min:

3 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width max:

5 cm

Fruit width mean:

3.5 cm

Fruit width min:

3 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

6 mm

Seed length min:

1 mm

Seed mass max:

0.01262 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0109266665 g

Seed mass min:

0.00735 g

Seed volume max:

91 mm³

Seed volume mean:

37.4 mm³

Seed volume min:

16 mm³

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Psidium guajava has 5 reported plant parts identified across 50 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit, stem, root, seed.

Leaf

1. Natural product research
2. African health sciences
3. Malaria journal
4. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Pharmacognosy research

Fruit

1. The Indian journal of medical research
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of food science
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. PloS one

Stem

1. Die Pharmazie
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Root

1. Cureus
2. Journal of toxicology

Seed

1. Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA

Chemicals

Psidium guajava has 319 reported phytochemicals identified across 50 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, quercetin, Tannins, Gallic acid, Phenols.

Flavonoids

1. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. Journal of medicinal food
4. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
5. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Pharmacognosy research
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
5. Journal of applied microbiology

Tannins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias
3. Journal of medicinal food
4. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
5. PloS one

Gallic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Pharmacognosy research
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
5. Biotechnology reports (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Phenols

1. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias
2. PloS one
3. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

RUTIN

1. Natural product research
2. Pharmacognosy research
3. Cureus
4. PeerJ
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

ellagic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Biotechnology reports (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
4. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
5. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

polyphenols

1. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
2. Polish journal of veterinary sciences
3. PloS one
4. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
5. Gastroenterology research

Saponins

1. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of medicinal food
3. PloS one
4. Gastroenterology research

Steroids

1. Journal of medicinal food
2. PloS one
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. TheScientificWorldJournal

Activities

Psidium guajava has 739 reported activities identified across 50 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Anticancer.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
3. Malaria journal
4. Pharmacognosy reviews
5. Journal of medicinal food

Antimicrobial

1. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Pharmacognosy reviews
3. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
4. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
5. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias
4. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie
3. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
4. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Pharmaceutical biology
5. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Pharmaceutical biology
5. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology

Antiplasmodial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Malaria journal
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antifungal

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
3. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical

Antimutagenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacognosy reviews
3. Drug and chemical toxicology

Conditions

Psidium guajava has 112 reported investigations on conditions identified across 50 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include diarrhea, cancer, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, oxidative stress.

Diarrhea

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Revista de gastroenterologia del Peru : organo oficial de la Sociedad de Gastroenterologia del Peru
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Cancer

1. Cancer letters
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Cureus
4. Pharmaceutical biology
5. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Staphylococcus aureus

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
2. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Natural product research
5. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology

Candida albicans

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
3. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
4. PeerJ
5. ISRN dentistry

Oxidative stress

1. PloS one
2. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Molecular and cellular biochemistry
5. Nutrients

Dental caries

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
3. ISRN dentistry
4. 3 Biotech

Malaria

1. Malaria journal
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology
4. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Escherichia coli

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
2. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Diabetes mellitus

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Biochemistry research international
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Inflammation

1. Cureus
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Food chemistry: X

Preparations

Psidium guajava has 62 reported preparations identified across 50 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts, leaves, aqueous extracts, methanol extracts, Extracts.

Extracts

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
2. Natural product research
3. Cell and tissue banking
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaves

1. Natural product research
2. Journal de mycologie medicale
3. Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry
4. Natural product letters

Aqueous extracts

1. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Pharmacognosy magazine
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Frontiers in veterinary science
3. 3 Biotech

Extracts

1. Biochemistry research international
2. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Aqueous extracts of leaves

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. Journal of parasitic diseases : official organ of the Indian Society for Parasitology

Ethanolic extracts

1. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology

Methanolic extract

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

Decoctions

1. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences