''Syzygium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle 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 ...

. The genus comprises about 1200 species, and has a native range that extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific. Its highest levels of diversity occur from Malaysia to northeastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, where many species are very poorly known and many more have not been described taxonomically. Most species are evergreen trees and

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s. Several species are grown as ornamental plants for their attractive glossy foliage, and a few produce edible fruits that are eaten fresh or used in jams and jellies. The most economically important species, however, is the

clove Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring or fragrance in consumer products, ...

''Syzygium aromaticum'', of which the unopened flower buds are an important spice. Some of the edible species of ''Syzygium'' are planted throughout the tropics worldwide, and several have become

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

in some island ecosystems. Several species of ''Syzygium'' bear fruits that are edible for humans, many of which are named "roseapple". Fifty-two species are found in Australia and are generally known as lillipillies, brush cherries or satinash. At times ''Syzygium'' was confused taxonomically with the genus '' Eugenia'' (c. 1000 species), but the latter genus has its highest specific diversity in the neotropics. Many species formerly classed as ''Eugenia'' are now included in the genus ''Syzygium'', although the former name may persist in horticulture. The Syzygium Working Group, an international group of researchers, formed in April 2016 with the aim to produce a

monograph A monograph is a specialist work of writing (in contrast to reference works) or exhibition on a single subject or an aspect of a subject, often by a single author or artist, and usually on a scholarly subject. In library cataloging, ''monograph ...

of ''Syzygium''.

Species

Selected species include: Returned to this genus *''Cleistocalyx operculatus'' has recently been returned to this genus, becoming a synonym for ''

Syzygium nervosum ''Syzygium nervosum'' is a species of tree native to tropical Asia and Australia, extending as far north as Guangdong and Guangxi in China and as far south as the Northern Territory of Australia. It was previously known as ''Cleistocalyx opercul ...

References

External links

CRFG.org

{{Taxonbar, from=Q133290 Garden plants of Australia Myrtales of Australia Trees of Australia

Species

References

Further reading

External links