Rhodomyrtus tomentosa

Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk., Flora 25(Beibl.): 35 1842. (Syn: Cynomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Scriv.; Myrtus canescens Lour.; Myrtus tomentosa Aiton);
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China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, S-Hunan, Jiangxi, S-Yunnan, Zhejiang), Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, India, Ryukyu Isl., Thailand, Sri Lanka, Java, India, peninsular Malaysia (common throughout, particularly on the East Coast), Singapore, Society Isl. (introduced) (Raiatea (introduced)), Hawaii (introduced) (Kauai (introduced), Oahu (introduced), Lanai (introduced), Hawaii Isl. (introduced)), Myanmar [Burma] (Taninthayi), Borneo, Lesser Sunda Isl., Moluccas, Philippines (Babuyan, Luzon), Sulawesi, USA (introduced) (Florida (introduced)) as per Catalogue of Life;
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roh-doh-MIR-tus — Greek: rhodo (red), myrtos (myrtle) … Dave’s Botanary
toh-men-TOH-suh — covered with fine, matted hairs … Dave’s Botanary
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commonly known as: Ceylon hill gooseberry, hill guava • Kannada: ಗುಡ್ಡ ನೆಲ್ಲಿ gudda nelli, ತವುಟೆ ಗಿಡ tavute gida • Malayalam: കാട്ടുപേര kaattupera, ചെറുകൊട്ടിലാമ്പഴം cherukottilaambazham, കൊരട്ട koratta, തവിട്ടുമരം thavittumaram • Tamil: மலைக்கொய்யா malai-k-koyya, தவிட்டுக்கொய்யா tavittu-k-koyya
Names compiled / updated at https://dineshvalke.blogspot.com/2024/06/rhodomyrtus-tomentosa-aiton-hassk.html
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Habit- Trees up to 5 m tall.

Trunk & Bark- Bark brown, scaly; blaze cream.
Branches and branchlets- Young branchlets terete, grey tomentose.
Leaves- Leaves simple, opposite, decussate; petiole 0.5-0.8 cm long, planoconvex in cross section, grey tomentose; lamina 3-7.5 x 1.3-4.5 cm, elliptic, apex acute with mucronate tip, base acute to obtuse, margin entire and recurved, grey tomentose beneath, coriaceous; midrib flat above; 3-nerved suprabasally; lateral nerves reaching leaf apex; intramarginal nerve present; higher order nerves strongly reticulate.
Inflorescence / Flower- Inflorescence cymes, axillary, up to 8 flowered; flowers large; pedicel 0.5 cm long; petals rosy white; stamens many, rosy-pink.
Fruit and Seed- Berry, subglobose, 1 cm across, crowned with calyx lobes; seeds many, renifom, compressed.
Along the margins of the high elevation evergreen forests and in open thickets, above 1600 m.
Indomalayasia and China; in the Western Ghats- Nilgiris, Anamalai and Palani hills.
(Attributions- B. R. Ramesh, N. Ayyappan, Pierre Grard, Juliana Prosperi, S. Aravajy, Jean Pierre Pascal, The Biotik Team, French Institute of Pondicherry

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Lauraceae from Kodaikanal 221110MK1 – efloraofindia | Google Groups: 6 images.
Kindly help to id this Lauraceae member. I think its a species of Shola (montane).
location: Bear shola, kodaikanal

Date/Time- 06-11-2010 / 11:00 AM
Location- Place, Altitude, GPca.2200asl; Kodaikanal, TN
Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type- wild hills
Plant Habit-stout shrub
Height/Length- 1 -2 m
Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size- ca.5 x 2 cm
Fruits Type/ Shape/ Size Seeds- ca. 2cm across

Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Myrtaceae

Rhodomyrtus tomentosa indeed

 

Eravikulam National Park
Date: June 4, 2014 … Base elevation: 2000m asl
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk. … (family: Myrtaceae) 

Beautiful.. Nice presentation..

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via Species‎ > ‎R‎ >
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk. … family: Myrtaceae

Flowers of India Discussions at efloraofindia more views in flickr more views on Google Earth
roh-doh-MIR-tus — Greek: rhodo (red), myrtos (myrtle) … Dave’s Botanary
toh-men-TOH-suh — covered with fine, matted hairs … Dave’s Botanary
commonly known as: Ceylon hill gooseberry, hill guava • Kannada: ತವುಟೆಗಿಡ tavutegida • Malayalam: ചെറുകൊട്ടിലാമ്പഴം cerukottilampalam, കൊരട്ട koratta, തവിട്ടുമരം tavittumaram • Tamil: மலைக்கொய்யா malai-k-koyya, தவிட்டுக்கொய்யா tavittu-k-koyya
botanical names: Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk. … synonyms: Cynomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Scriv. • Myrtus canescens Lour. • Myrtus tomentosa Aiton … The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1.

roh-doh-MIR-tus — Greek: rhodo (red), myrtos (myrtle) … Dave’s Botanary
toh-men-TOH-suh — covered with fine, matted hairs … Dave’s Botanary
par-VEE-flor-uh or par-vi-FLOR-uh — small flowers … Dave’s Botanary

commonly known as: Ceylon hill gooseberry, hill guava • Kannada: ಗುಡ್ಡ ನೆಲ್ಲಿ gudda nelli, ತವುಟೆ ಗಿಡ tavute gida • Malayalam: കാട്ടുപേര kaattupera, ചെറുകൊട്ടിലാമ്പഴം cherukottilaambazham, കൊരട്ട koratta, തവിട്ടുമരം thavittumaram • Tamil: மலைக்கொய்யா malai-k-koyya, தவிட்டுக்கொய்யா tavittu-k-koyya

botanical names: Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk. … homotypic synonyms: Cynomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Scriv. • Myrtus tomentosa Aiton … accepted infraspecifics: Rhodomyrtus tomentosa var. parviflora (Alston) A.J.Scott … homotypic synonyms: Rhodomyrtus parviflora Alston … and more at POWO, retrieved 14 June 2024

Bibliography / etymology

Links listed as references in the notes below, may not remain valid permanently. Portals / websites have a tendency to re-organize / revise their content, leading to change in URLs of pages in their site. Some sites may even close down at their own will.

~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~
written and spoken widely, in most parts of India
Ceylon hill gooseberry
hill guava
~~~~~ KANNADA ~~~~~
written in: Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) … spoken in: Karnataka
ಗುಡ್ಡ ನೆಲ್ಲಿ gudda nelli
ತವುಟೆ ಗಿಡ tavute gida
~~~~~ MALAYALAM ~~~~~
written in: Malayalam (മലയാളം) … spoken in: Kerala, Lakshadweep
കാട്ടുപേര kaattupera
  • Many thanks to VC Balakrishnan for help with this name … facebook
ചെറുകൊട്ടിലാമ്പഴം cherukottilaambazham, കൊരട്ട koratta, തവിട്ടുമരം thavittumaram
~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~
written in: Tamil (தமிழ்) … spoken in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
மலைக்கொய்யா malai-k-koyya, தவிட்டுக்கொய்யா tavittu-k-koyya
~~~~~ DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~
Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
~~~~~ Last updated: 16:06 23-06-2024 ~~~~~

All spellings in English and Malayalam are correct

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Crassulaceae, Combretaceae and Myrtaceae Fortnight : Myrtaceae : Rhodomyrtus tomentosus : Sri Lanka : 24DEC14 : AK-81 : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (3)
Seen at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Posted earlier.
Identified as Rhodomyrtus tomentosus of Myrtaceae by …
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for ID 270610 a ET – efloraofindia | Google Groups : 1 image.
I took this Plant / flower picture during Nature camp to the Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve –in Avalanche- Kunda Forest Reserve-Mukurthi National Park.
Plant leaves are unique, surface of the leaves also different
Date/Time-13.5.10     —-2.41 pm
Location- Place, Altitude, GPS- Avalanche- Kunda Forest Reserve-Mukurthi
Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type- —–Wild
Plant Habit- Tree/ Shrub/ Climber/ Herb- ———–
Height/Length- —————– 1 meter
Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size—–As seen in the picture, length 3 inch
Inflorescence Type/ Size-
Flowers Size/ Colour/ Calyx/ Bracts- —   Size 1.5 inch , colourpink and white

Looks more like Rhodomyrtus tomentosa! Experts please clarify.

It is Rhodomyrtus tomentosus (not tomentosa) of Myrtaceae family. This can be seen only in the high altitude mostly above 1500m.

Yes
It is Rhodomyrtus tomentosa locally called thavittupalam in tamil and the fruits are sold in the market during the season.

I took this Plant / flower picture during Nature camp to the Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve –in Avalanche- Kunda Forest Reserve-Mukurthi National Park.
Plant leaves are unique, surface of the leaves also different
Date/Time-13.5.10     —-2.41 pm
Location- Place, Altitude, GPS- Avalanche- Kunda Forest Reserve-Mukurthi
Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type- —–Wild
Plant Habit- Tree/ Shrub/ Climber/ Herb- ———–
Height/Length- —————– 1 meter
Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size—–As seen in the picture
Inflorescence Type/ Size-
Flowers Size/ Colour/ Calyx/ Bracts- —   Size 1.5 inch , colour pink and white

Spiraea bella Sims, Bot. Mag. 50: t. 2426. 1823. I hope !!

This is Rhodomyrtus tomentosa of Myrtaceae family. The altitude must be above 1500m.

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Pls help ID this shrub from Munnar environs – efloraofindia | Google Groups :1 image.
Pls help ID this shrub, photographed near Munnar, flowering in April

Looks like Rhodomyrtus tomentosus to me.

I will go with … – this is Rose Myrtle:
http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5390109

Rhodomyrtus tomentosus undoubtedly

Thanks for the ID and confirmation.
Form the many photographs on the site linked by …, it certainly matches
Tamil Name: Thavutte

Some more interesting info about this  Shola-shrub:

tavutte, hill gooseberry (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa), shrubs were plentiful along the trek. When tavutte fruits in October-January, there will be no need to pack any food; for they are as delicious as they are filling.
From  “The Hindu” The Hindu Business Line : Stairway to heaven, up the blue mountain

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Rewquest for ID : 281210 : AK-3:
At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Kandy, Sri Lanka on the 17th of November, 2010.
These were like huge bushes and full of flowers. Some kind of Guava?

Rhodomyrtus tomentosus (Myrtaceae), is a relative of Guava.

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Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk. SN April08 : Attachments (1).  2 posts by 2 authors.
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk., Fam: Myrtaceae, small tree at high altitudes of Nilgiri range, western Ghats Tamilnadu

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SK1456 20 Sep 2018 : 13 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (4)- around 650 kb each.
Location: Lantau, Hong Kong 
Date: 14 August 2018
Elevation: 3000 ft.
Habit : Wild 

Any idea about family?

Melastomataceae.
Thank you … Now I remember you were telling me at that time. But I could not find a match. Depend on you again 😁 !

Now I know why I was not able to identify. I was looking at a wrong family.

This is Rhodomyrtus tomentosa from Myrtaceae.
Native to Hong Kong.

Thanks, … Fruits appear like from this family.

SK1709 09 Jan 2019 : 15 posts by 6 authors. Attachments (1)- 6 Mb.
Location : Sentosa, Singapore
Date : 18 October 2012
Altitude  131 m.
Habit : Cultivated
I think it’s more similar Eugenia sp.

Did not find a match.

You should buy a copy of this book:
Being a Govt. publication, the price should be very reasonable.
Attachments (1)

Sure … I shall try to get the book from India.

Check with Rhodomyrtus tomentosa
Appears close to Rhodomyrtus tomentosa as suggested by …
Thank you …! Does the attached image of fruits  from Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
belong to the same sp?
Attachments (1)
May be. Pl. check

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References: