New species of fruit tree discovered in the Atlantic Forest

By Pablo Viany (NuAC/CNCFlora/JBRJ)

The Atlantic Forest has a new species of fruit tree! The newly-discovered Eugenia guapiassuana was so named by the researchers in reference to the locality of Guapiaçu, in the municipality of Cachoeiras de Macacu, where it was first found by Mr. Messias Gomes da Silva, an employee of the Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve (REGUA).

It is a large tree that is notable for its large, pink flowers, in contrast to other species of the Eugenia genus, one of the richest genera of Brazilian flora, which typically have small, white flowers. Due to its close relationship with Eugenia involucrata, a native fruit tree popularly known as the Rio Grande cherry, Eugenia guapiassuana has been given the popular name of guapiaçu cherry.

Trunk of a specimen of 'Eugenia guapiassuana'

The species is deciduous, meaning that it loses its leaves completely at flowering time, which makes the tree stand out even more, as it can be recognized from a distance by its showy pink crown. Its fruits are bright red in color and have juicy orange flesh, which is very aromatic and has a slightly acidic taste. Unfortunately, the species faces a critical risk of extinction due to its rarity and the degradation of its habitat, mainly due to agricultural activities and urban sprawl.

Eugenia guapiassuana' flowers

The article in which the species is described was published in the Kew Bulletin, an important scientific journal in the field of Botany, and is the result of a collaboration between researchers from the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro, the State University of Rio de Janeiro, the Federal University of Ceará and Sítio E-Jardim. The work received technical and logistical support from REGUA.

Access the original article.

Photos: Thiago Fernandes (JBRJ)