Greek syn — together, zygon — yoke, referring to the formation of the petals.

Trees or shrubs with hairless branchlets. Leaves mostly stalked and with an intra-marginal vein. Flower clusters terminal, axillary or on the stems, mostly branched. Flowers mostly 4-5-parted. Ovary of 2(3) chambers. Fruits usually thick and fleshy, with the calyx lobes persistent.

Acmena and Waterhousea are closely related to Syzygium and current studies suggest that all these genera may be returned to Syzygium.

Grown for the dense foliage and sometimes colourful fruits and becoming more popular in warmer climates as gardeners explore the horticultural potential of rainforest trees.

The following species are grown in warmer districts: S. aqueum (Burm. F.) Alston,Water Rose-apple, cultivated commercially for its red or white top-shaped fruits about 2-3 cm wide, but also as an ornamental; S. cormiflorum (F. Muell.) B. Hyland, distinguished by the flowers on the trunk or branches and with fruits creamy to pink or reddish; S. crebrinerve (C.T. White) L.A.S. Johnson, Purple Cherry, has purple to magenta flattened fruits; S. erythrocalyx (C.T.White) B. Hyland, with cordate leaves and red or white fruits to 5-7 cm wide; S. francisii (F.M. Bailey) L.A.S. Johnson, Giant Water Gum (Francis'Water Gum),with fused petals that are shed as a 'lid' on the flower and bluish fruits about 1.5 cm long; S. oleosum (F. Muell.) B. Hyland, Blue Lilly Pilly, from Qld and NSW, with attractive narrow oil-dotted leaves and purple to magenta fruits and grown as the cultivar S. 'Amber Curls' PVJ 11(4)52; and S. wilsonii (F. Muell.) B. Hyland, occasionally cultivated for its exceptional bright red new growth.

More than 500 species from tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Pacific. Australia has 47 endemic species.

Seed or cuttings.

Many species are used for timber; some species produce edible fruits.

Fruit cotyledons not wriggly in section and separate from one another. Waterhousea has hard fruits with a persistent terminal cylindrical calyx. Acmena has fruits that are wriggly in section.

Sydney's Royal Bot. Gds has a few established and unusual species.

Hyland (1983).

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Myrtaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.