''Campomanesia lineatifolia'' is a species of

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

in the family

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...

. Common names include guabiraba and perfume guava.

Description

It is an evergreen tree with edible fruit that typically reaches 5 – 10 m in height. The fruits are

berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...

(3 – 6 cm diameter, up to 140 g weight) and are gathered from trees growing either wild or under cultivation. The aromatic yellow fruit is eaten raw, made into juices or pulped for use. A perfume can be extracted from the leaves. An early illustration of the fruit was made in the mid seventeenth century by

Dorothea Eliza Smith Dorothea Eliza Smith (1804–1864) was a botanical artist noted for painting South American fruit. A relatively obscure figure, her works were considered valuable by European botanists who lacked access to South American flora. Personal life Sm ...

. It has been used in traditional medicine to alleviate gastrointestinal disorders.

Distribution and habitat

It is found in western South America - central and northern Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador. It grows in regions with an average temperature of 22 – 30 °C with annual rainfall above 1,500 mm.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5691923 lineatifolia