Psidium guajava L.

Shrub or small tree to c. 3 m high. Trunk smooth, light brown. Shoots quadrangular, densely hairy. Petiole 5–10 mm long. Lamina 8–14 × 4.5–7 cm, oblong-elliptic to obovate-elliptic, densely hairy at first, especially on veins below, becoming glabrous above at maturity, abundantly dotted with glands beneath, ± rounded at either end; veins parallel and prominent, impressed above and raised beneath. Fls solitary; pedicels densely hairy, c. 1 cm long, with 2 subulate bracteoles c. 3 mm long. Hypanthium c. 5 mm deep, campanulate, densely hairy; calyx limb splitting into 4–5, prominent, hairy, glandular, lobes 7–8 mm long. Petals 10–13 mm long, elliptic, white, glandular-punctate. Stamens mostly slightly < petals. Style c. 1 cm long. Fr. globose or subglobose, 3–4 cm diam., becoming yellow; flesh pink, sweet. Seeds numerous.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jul.–Mar.