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Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Wight (Myrtus tomentosa, Ait.). Downy Myrtle.
Hill-gooseberry. Small shrub, up to 5 ft.,the young branchlets
tomentose: lvs. elliptic or obovate, obtuse, 1-1 1/2 in. long, hoary
below; petioles short: fls. 1-3 on slender peduncles about half the
length of the lvs., rose-pink, 1/2-3/4in. broad; calyx tomentose,
5-cleft, the lobes unequal; petals downy outside, shortly clawed: berry
globose, 1/2in. broad, dull purple, 3-celled, with numerous small
compressed seeds in each cell. B.M. 250.—This plant seems to be best
known in S. India, where it occurs commonly in the mountains. It is
said by Macmillan to succeed in Ceylon only at high elevations. In S.
China the fr. is sometimes offered in the markets. While intro. to Fla.
some years ago, it is not generally grown in that state, although it is
an excellent garden plant of ornamental as well as economic value.
According to Reasoner it grows as far north as Putnam County; it
succeeds remarkably at Bradentown, where it has almost become
naturalized in one or two spots, and it is successfully grown at Miami.
In Calif, it has fruited in a few gardens. It does not stand very much
frost, although it is hardier than some of the strictly tropical frs.
The guava-like fr. is about the size of a gooseberry, of a dull purple
color, with numerous small seeds embedded in soft pulp of sweet
pleasant flavor, somewhat suggesting the raspberry but rather lacking
in character. According to Simpson, it makes excellent pies, if picked
before fully ripe. The season in Fla. is early summer, at which time
the plants are laden with fr. The fls., which appear in spring,
resemble small single roses, and are of unusually attractive
appearance, making the plant highly ornamental while in bloom.
Frequently the frs. ripen over a period of several weeks. In India,
according to Hooker, they are made into a jam called thaonti, and are
also eaten while fresh. The plant does not seem to be particular
regarding soil, thriving upon heavy loam or light sand. It is readily
prop, by seeds, which should be sown in flats of light soil soon after
they are removed from the fr., covering them to the depth of 1/8in. and
pricking off the young plants when 2 in. high. When set out in the open
ground the plants do not grow very rapidly, but are of simple cult. In
dry climates they require plenty of water.
F. W. Popenoe.
Rhodora: Rhododendron canadense.
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==Cultivation==
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===Propagation===
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===Pests and diseases===
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==Species==
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==Gallery==
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==References==
*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
<!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 -->
<!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 -->
<!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 -->
==External links==
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