Psidium (guava genus)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids > Eurosid II > Order: Myrtales > Family: Myrtaceae

About 100 species, native from North America to Brazil. Three species and one hybrid are cultivated and naturalised in southern Africa, including Psidium guajava (Guava). An additional species is cultivated but not naturalised in the region.

Species naturalised in southern Africa

List mainly from Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI).

Psidium cattleianum (Strawberry guava) Native to Brazil. A Category 3 declared invasive plant in South Africa. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Psidium guajava (Guava) Native to tropical America. Cultivated for its fruit, which are used particularly in fruit juices. A Category 2 declared invasive plant in South Africa. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Psidium guineense (Brazilian guava, Guisaro) Native from Mexico to South America. A Category 3 declared invasive plant in South Africa.
Psidium x durbanensis Hybrid of Psidium guajava and Psidium guineense that is cultivated in South Africa and which has become naturalised.  A Category 1 declared invasive plant in South Africa.

Other species, cultivated in southern Africa

Information from Glen (2002).

Links

• Psidium (Wikipedia)

Publications

• Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.