Botanical Name – Psidium guajava
Common Name - Guava, Amrud
Classification
Kingdom – Plantae
Class – Magnoliopsida
Order – Myrtales
Family – Myrtaceae
Genus – Psidium
Species – guajava
General characterstics of family Myrataceae
Leaves aromatic, gland dotted, exstipulate, entire margin; flower hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, epigynous; calyx 4-5, gamosepalous, sometimes thrown off as a lid; corolla 4-5, free or united; stamens indefinite; carpels 2-5 syncarpous, ovary inferior, placentation axile; style and stigma simple; fruit a berry or drupe.
Plant Description
Vegetative characters:
Habit:The members of this family are mostly trees (Eucalyptus, Syzygium, Psidium) or shrub (Carreya) very rarely herbs. Some of the species of Eucalyptus may attain a height of 300 ft.
Status : Least concern.
Root:Tap root and branched
Stem:Erect woody, branched, bark very shining, smooth and goes off in old trees (Eucalyptus); vascular bundle bicollateral.
Leaves:Simple, opposite, alternate (Eucalyptus), or whorled, shortly petiolate, exstipulate or with minute stipule, gland dotted, coriaceous, evergreen. Leaves of Eucalyptus show adaptation to dry climatic and intense sunlight conditions and may become needle like and take up vertical position.
B. Floral characters:
Inflorescence: Usually of cyme type, sometimes panicle cyme or corymbose cyme, proliferous drooping spike in Callistemon; axillary in Psidium; solitary axillary (Myrtus communis); trichotomous cyme (Syzygium); paniculate cyme (Eucalyptus).
Flower: Pedicellate (Eucalyptus) or sessile (Callistemon), bracteate usually with two bracteoles (Callistemon), ebracteate (Eucalyptus) actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, epigynous sometimes perigynous; complete.
Calyx: Sepals 4-5, polysepalous or united, rarely reduced or thrown off like a lid as the flower opens (Eucalyptus) or entirely absent in some of Eucalyptus spp; quincuncial aestivation.
Corolla: Petals 4-5 more or less circular in form, polypetalous sometimes gamopetalous and forming cap (Eucalyptus), quincuncial aestivation.
Androecium: Stamens indefinite, arranged in several whorls at the edge of the receptacle, polyandrous rarely mondadelphous (Callistemon); 5 and antipetalous in Melaleuca. In Melaleuca leucadendron the stamens are numerous but in five bundles opposite to petals, anthers dorsifixed or versatile, dithecous, small, introrse, connectives of anthers are usually gland dotted. In the bud condition the stamens are bent.
Gynoecium: Carpels 2 to indefinite, syncarpous; perigynous to fully epigynous; inferior, two to many locular, axile placentation rarely parietal (Rhodamnia), 2 to indefinite anatropous or campylotropous ovules per loculus; style simple, long, stigma capitate.
Fruit: A berry (Psidium), capsule (Eucalyptus, Callistemon)-, drupe (Eugenia).
Seed: Non-endospermic.
Pollination: Entomophilous. Insects are attracted by coloured stamens and floral parts.
Floral formula:
Medicinal uses
Psidium guajava plant has many medicinal properties. It has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Leaves act as astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic. Tea made from the leaves are used to treat dysentery, diarrhea, etc. Leaves can be chewed raw to get rid of gum and teeth problems. Leaf paste can be applied to the fresh wound as it is anti-bacterial and antiseptic in nature. It is also used to treat a common cough and cold, gonorrhea, stomach ache and skin problems. Leaves are also hepatoprotective and used to treat liver injury due to medicines.
The decoction made from the bark of this plant is also used against ringworms, ulcers, diarrhea, and dysentery. The oil extracted from seeds possesses anti-inflammatory activity.
Psidium guajava fruits (Guava) are rich in vitamin A and C, flavonoids, essential oils, polyphenols, etc. These phytochemicals make the fruit a healthy choice of food that improves the health.
