eugenia fruits a collective name sometimes applied to a large group of tropical fruits borne on trees classified in, or formerly classified in, the genus Eugenia of the family Myrtaceae. Fruit-bearing species are found in S. America, India, SE Asia, and Australia. The best known have their own entries: see jambolan, pitanga, and rose-apple. See also jambu. This entry lists a few of the less well-known members, which mostly belong, as in these examples, to S. America, or to the Philippines.
Myrciaria (formerly Eugenia) cauliflora, the jaboticaba, is a Brazilian species which is often cultivated, e.g. in the region of Rio de Janeiro. It is a large tree, remarkable in that it bears its fruits directly on the trunk, main limbs, and branches. The fruits are round and about 2–3 cm (1") in diameter, maroon or purple in colour, and not unlike a grape, but with a thicker skin. The white or pinkish pulp is translucent. The fruit is popular in the south of Brazil as something to eat fresh, and can also be made into a good jelly.
