rose apple

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Jambos
• Plum Rose
• Malabar-plum
• rose-apple

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Eugenia malaccensis f. cericarpa
• Plinia jambos
• Jambosa jambos
• Myrtus jambos
• Eugenia vulgaris
• Eugenia monantha
• Eugenia jambos
• Eugenia jambosa
• Eugenia decora
• Syzygium jambos var. linearilimbum
• Jambosa malaccensis f. cericarpa
• Jambosa leptostachya
• Syzygium leptostachyum
• Jambosa palembanica
• Syzygium monanthum
• Eugenia jamboides

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Myrtales and the family Myrtaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Syzygium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across several distinct regions. Within the Macaronesian islands, it can be found specifically in Madeira. Its presence extends into West Tropical Africa, where it inhabits Guinea-Bissau and Guinea. Furthermore, the species is located in West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically within the Central African Republic. Finally, its range reaches the Gulf of Guinea Islands in the West-Central tropical zone.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Syzygium jambos is characterized by its adaptability to a broad range of altitudinal gradients, thriving in environments that span from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 3000 m AMSL. Typically found in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, it occupies diverse niches ranging from lowland coastal areas to high-altitude montane regions. The species prefers well-drained, fertile soils and is often integrated into secondary forests or disturbed habitats where light availability is moderate to high. Its distribution is closely tied to humid climates with significant rainfall, allowing it to maintain its physiological processes across its extensive elevational range of 0 to 3000 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Genetics

The genetics of Syzygium jambos are characterized by significant cytological variability, as evidenced by a diverse range of chromosome numbers including 28, 33, 42, 44, 46, 54, and 66. This wide numerical spectrum suggests complex evolutionary mechanisms, potentially involving polyploidization events or chromosomal rearrangements within different accessions or populations. Despite this variation in total count, the species is fundamentally classified with a ploidy level of 2, indicating a diploid state. This combination of a diploid base and highly fluctuating chromosome counts highlights the intricate genomic plasticity inherent to the species.

Chromosome number :

28, 33, 42, 44, 46, 54, 66

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Syzygium jambos is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated branches, a life form that allows it to thrive in various tropical and subtropical environments. This species exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its lush foliage throughout the year and providing a constant canopy. Structurally, it is classified as a phanerophyte, reflecting its woody, tree-like growth habit where the buds are situated high above the ground, facilitating its long-term survival and development within its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Syzygium jambos is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree. It is a self-supporting, non-climbing species that functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence. The plant typically reaches a significant stature, with its height ranging from a minimum of 6 meters to a maximum of 15 meters, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 12 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

12 m

Plant height min:

6 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Syzygium jambos is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic strategy typical of many woody tropical species. The plant exhibits specific leaf morphological traits, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 10 cm to a mean of 18.5 cm, reaching a maximum of 25 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width varies from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 5 cm. Regarding its nutritional and water-use strategies, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer and does not exhibit succulence. Its leaf dry matter content (LDMC) is consistent throughout its measured range, maintaining a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 412.9 mg/g, which reflects its internal structural density and resource allocation within the leaf tissue.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

412.9 mg/g

Leaf length max:

25 cm

Leaf length mean:

18.5 cm

Leaf length min:

10 cm

Leaf width max:

5 cm

Leaf width min:

2.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Syzygium jambos 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 0.7 cm to a maximum of 1 cm. Self-fertilization is present within the species, facilitating the development of its fruit. The resulting fruit is a fleshy, indehiscent berry with a length ranging from 2 cm to 4 cm. Within each fruit, the number of seeds typically varies between 1 and 10. The seeds themselves exhibit significant morphological diversity, with a mean mass of approximately 1.339883 g (ranging from a minimum of 4e-05 g to a maximum of 3.486 g) and a volume that averages 2450 mm³ (ranging from 1200 mm³ to 3700 mm³). Seed dimensions vary, with lengths spanning from 20 mm up to 100 mm and widths ranging from 20 mm to 25 mm. Dispersal of the seeds is achieved through zoochorous and anthropochorous syndromes, utilizing animals and human intervention to spread the species.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower length max:

1 cm

Flower length min:

0.7 cm

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

4 cm

Fruit length min:

2 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

100 mm

Seed length min:

20 mm

Seed mass max:

3.486 g

Seed mass mean:

1.339883 g

Seed mass min:

4e-05 g

Seed volume max:

3700 mm³

Seed volume mean:

2450 mm³

Seed volume min:

1200 mm³

Seed width max:

25 mm

Seed width min:

20 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

1-10

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Syzygium jambos has 1 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Syzygium jambos has 37 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include quercetin, Flavonoids, RUTIN, caffeic acid, Anthraquinones.

quercetin

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Phytochemistry

Flavonoids

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

RUTIN

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

caffeic acid

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anthraquinones

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

COPPER

1. Dr. Duke

Chlorine-

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Syzygium jambos has 244 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Acarifuge, Acidulant, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor.

Antimicrobial

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Acarifuge

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic?

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

AntiAGE

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Syzygium jambos has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus hominis, Yersinia enterocolitica, fungal infections.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations