Syzygium smithii
Common names
lilly pilly, monkey apple
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Flower colours
Cream, White
Detailed description
Tree (6-15 m high in cultivation). Lvs very aromatic when crushed; petiole usually c. 5mm long. Lamina 4-12-(15) x 2-5-(8) cm, ovate or elliptic-ovate, coriaceous, glossy above, dotted with glands below; veins parallel and prominent below; base cuneate or narrow-cuneate; apex obtusely cuspidate or acuminate. Fls shortly pedicellate. Hypanthium (including pseudopedicel) 3-5 mm long; calyx lobes 4, deciduous. Petals 4, c. 2mm long, forming a small calyptrum, whitish. Stamens to c.3mm long whitish. Fr. subglobose to broad-oblong or obovoid, often slightly flattened, usually 1-1.7-(3) cm diam., pinkish mauve or white, with apical cavity. Seed large. (Webb et. al. 1988).
Similar taxa
Syzygium paniculatum, S. australe both have more showy flowers with larger petals and stamens; their fruits are ovoid with somewhat swollen sepals at the fruit tips (S. smithii has almost spherical fruit with a ‘hole’ at the distal end.) Leaves of S. smithii are broader in relation to their length than those of S. paniculatum and S. australe. S. floribunda has weeping branches and leafy twigs and its leaves are narrow-ovate.
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Conservation status
Not applicable
Threats
This taxon may be prone to Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) is an invasive fungus which threatens myrtle species - learn more myrtlerust.org.nz
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Myrtaceae
Synonyms
Acmena smithii, Eugenia smithii
Ecology
Flowering
October, November, December, January
Year naturalised
1982
Origin
E. Australia - was, until recently, known as Acmena smithii
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
Tolerances
Able to establish in existing forest under low light conditions (DoC, 1996).
Life cycle and dispersal
Perennial. Long-lived plant. Birds, dispersed by kereru from townships, farms and orchard hedges (DoC, 1996).
Other information
Myrtle Rust
Affected by Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii), an invasive fungus which also threatens native myrtle species. Learn more myrtlerust.org.nz
Etymology
syzygium: From the Greek syzygos ‘joined’, referring to the paired leaves
smithii: James Edward Smith (1757-1858), who gave it the illegitimate homonymous name Eugenia elliptica
National Pest Plant Accord species
This plant is listed in the 2020 National Pest Plant Accord. The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) is an agreement to prevent the sale and/or distribution of specified pest plants where either formal or casual horticultural trade is the most significant way of spreading the plant in New Zealand. For up to date information and an electronic copy of the 2020 Pest Plant Accord manual (including plant information and images) visit the MPI website.
Environmental Weed (2024)
This plant is named in a list of 386 environmental weeds in New Zealand 2024 prepared by DOC. 759 candidate species were considered for inclusion on this new comprehensive list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. The species considered were drawn from published lists of weed species, lists of plants that must be reported or managed by law if observed, existing national and regional programmes and agreements for pest management, and species already managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC). Candidate species were then assessed to see if they were fully naturalised and whether they have more than minor impacts in natural ecosystems. Read the full report here.
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
SYZSMI
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: Ogle, C. (Year at time of access): Syzygium smithii Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/syzygium-smithii/ (Date website was queried)