Myrcianthes pungens (O.Berg) D.Legrand

A medium to large tree. It can be 17 m high. The trunk is usually crooked. It is 40-60 cm across. The leaves are simple and 3-7 cm long. There is a sharp point at the tip. The flowers occur singly and have long stalks. They are white and in the axils or leaves as well as at the ends of branches. The fruit is small like a strawberry guava. The pulp is red-purple coloured. The flesh is firm and sweet and slightly acid. There are 1 or 2 seed in each fruit.

A tropical plant. It can stand light frost. It grows naturally in high altitude forests in Argentina and Brazil. In Argentina it grows below 1,000 m above sea level.

The fruit are eaten fresh.

Plants are grown from seed. Seed are often self sown by birds. The ripe fruit are harvested and the seeds removed, washed and dried in the shade. Fresh seed should be planted and it germinates in 30-40 days. Seedlings should be kept in light shade. They can be transplanted into the field after 8 months.