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Family: Myrtaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Myrtales
Genus: Eugenia
Species: E. unifloria
Common Names: pitanga, Suriname cherry, Barbados Cherry, Brazilian cherry, Cayenne cherry or Cerisier Carré
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PLANT DESCRIPTION |
Documented Properties
& Actions: | Eugenia uniflora has several significant pharmacological properties. Its essential oil is antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antitumor and analgesic, and it has shown antiviral and antifungal activity. It has performed against microorganisms such as Trichomonas gallinae (in vitro), Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania amazonensis. It also shows significant anti-inflammatory properties, and is used extensively as a folk remedy in South America against stomach diseases.
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Nuitional
Facts:
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A 100gms will provide you with the following nutrients:
The Pulp contains:
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Eugenia uniflora is a large shrub or small tree with a conical form, growing slowly to 8 meters in height. When bruised, crushed or cut, the leaves and branches have a spicy resinous fragrance, which can cause respiratory discomfort in susceptible individuals. New leaves are bronze, copper or coppery-pinkish in color, maturing to a deep glossy green, up to 4 cm long. During winter the leaves turn red.
The edible fruit is a botanical berry. The taste ranges from sweet to sour, depending on the cultivar and level of ripeness (the darker red to black range is quite sweet, while the green to orange range is strikingly tart). Its predominant food use is as a flavoring and base for jams and jellies. The fruit is high in vitamin C and a source of vitamin A.
All Inga species produce their seeds in "bean-like" pods and some can reach up to 1 m long, in general the pods are 10–30 cm long.
The leaves are spread on house floors in Brazil, so that when crushed underfoot, they exude a smell which repels flies.
The leaves are also used for tea in certain parts of Uruguay.
Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*
| Calories |
43-51 g |
| Moisture |
85.4-90.70 g |
| Protein |
0.84-1.01 g |
| Fat |
0.4-0.88 g |
| Carbohydrates |
7.93-12.5 g |
| Fiber |
0.34-0.6g |
| Ash |
0.34-0.5 g |
| Calcium |
9 mg |
| Phosphorus |
11 mg |
| Iron |
0.2 mg |
| Carotene (Vitamin A) |
1,200-2,000 I.U. |
| Thiamine |
0.03 mg |
| Riboflavin |
0.04 mg |
| Niacin |
0.03 mg |
| Ascorbic Acid** |
20-30 mg |
Climate
The Surinam cherry is adapted to tropical and subtropical regions. In the Philippines, it thrives from sea-level to 3,300 ft (1,000 m); in Guatemala, up to 6,000 ft (1,800 m). Young plants are damaged by temperatures below 28º F (-2.22º C), but well-established plants have suffered only superficial injury at 22º F (-5.56º C). The plant revels in full sun. It requires only moderate rainfall and, being deep-rooted, can stand a long dry season.
Other Uses
The leaves have been spread over the floors of Brazilian homes. When walked upon, they release their pungent oil which repels flies. The bark contains 20 to 28.5% tannin and can be used for treating leather. The flowers are a rich source of pollen for honeybees but yield little or no nectar.
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