Vasilis Teodoridis:
Myrtaceae | Syzygium
57. Syzygium cumini (Linnaeus) Skeels; U.S.D.A. Bur. Pl. Industr. Bull. 248: 25. 1912.
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Trees; 6-20 m tall. Branchlets grayish white when dry; terete. Petiole 1-2 cm; leaf blade broadly elliptic to narrowly elliptic; 6-12 x 3.5-7 cm; leathery; abaxially slightly pale when dry; adaxially brownish green to blackish brown and slightly glossy when dry; both surfaces with small glands; secondary veins numerous; 1-2 mm apart; and gradually extending into margin; intramarginal veins ca. 1 mm from margin; base broadly cuneate to rarely rounded; apex rounded to obtuse and with a short cusp. Inflorescences axillary on flowering branches or occasionally terminal; paniculate cymes; to 11 cm. Hypanthium obconic or long pyriform; ca. 4 mm or 7-8 mm. Calyx lobes inconspicuous; 0.3-0.7 mm. Petals 4; white or light purple; coherent; ovate and slightly rounded; ca. 2.5 mm. Stamens 3-4 mm. Style as long as stamens. Fruit red to black; ellipsoid to pot-shaped; 1-2 cm; 1-seeded; persistent calyx tube 1-1.5 mm. Fl. Feb-Mar or Apr-May; fr. Jun-Sep.
Secondary forests on level areas; wastelands; streamsides; below 100 to 1200 m. Fujian; Guangdong; Guangxi; Hainan; Yunnan [Bhutan; India; Indonesia; Laos; Malaysia; Nepal; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Vietnam; Australia].