Decaspermum parviflorum

(Lam.) A. J. Scott

Silky Myrtle

MyrtaceaeFruitLeavesSeeds/Nuts

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(c) Omar Faustino, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Omar Faustino

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(c) Hiromi kobori, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Fruit, Seeds

Fruit - raw. The ripe fruit has a sweet flavour. The fruit is rounded, flattened, 5 - 8mm thick. The terminal shoots are used as a seasoning.

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. They are abundant in the Philippines in areas of shrub near the seacoast and to an altitude of 2000 m throughout the islands. In Yunnan.

Asia, Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Pacific, Malaysia, Micronesia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, Palau, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand, Tibet, Tonga, Vietnam,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Micronesia, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Nauru, New Zealand, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Palau, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Samoa, Yemen

How to Identify

A small tree or shrub. The small branches are very numerous. The leaves are pink in new growth and have a fine covering of silky hairs. They are shiny and become soft green. The leaves are opposite with a blunt point at the base and smooth when old. The flower arrangement is at the ends of branches or from upper leaf axils. The petals are white or pink. The fruit are flat and round and turn red when ripe.

How to Grow

Plants are grown from fresh seed or cuttings.

Medicinal Uses

The root, mixed with the leaves and root of Ixora elliptica, is boiled and the infusion is taken, to treat warm body and fatigue. The decoction is also used as a bath. The fruit is used as a remedy for stomach pains. The leaves are astringent. They are chewed with betel (Areca catechu) as a treatment for dysentery and also for helping the teeth become firm.

Other Information

The fruit are often eaten by children.

Notes

There are about 30 Decaspermum species.

Names & Synonyms

A gong gong ni a bo, Lipet, Taung-thabye

Eugenia parviflora Lam.Myrtus parviflora (Lam.) Spreng.Nelitris parviflora (Lam.) BlumePyrus bodinieri H. Lev.

References (11)

Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 342 (Decaspermum humile)
Dobriyal, M. J. R. & Dobriyal, R., 2014, Non Wood Forest Produce an Option for Ethnic Food and Nutritional Security in India. Int. J. of Usuf. Mngt. 15(1):17-37
Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1984, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 3. Lothian. p 213
Gardner, S., et al, 2000, A Field Guide to Forest Trees of Northern Thailand, Kobfai Publishing Project. p 199
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 84
Hoare, A., 2003, Food use of the Lundayeh SW Sabah. Borneo Research Council.
Luo, B., et al, 2019, Wild edible plants collected by Hani from terraced rice paddy agroecosystem in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan, China. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 15:56
Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 207
Ratcliffe D & P., 1987, Australian Native Plants for Indoors. Little Hills press. p 78
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Yuncker, T.G., 1959, Plants of Tonga, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Hawaii, Bulletin 220. p 201