guva
A review of Guava (Psidium guajava)
Anthony C. Dweck FLS FRSC FRSH
Dweck Data
Introduction
In the next of our series on Far Eastern plant we look at Guava or Psidium guajava
In folk medicine, extracts of roots, bark, and leaves are used to treat gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhoea, dysentery, wounds, ulcers, toothache, coughs, sore throat, inflamed gums, and a number of other conditions (Morton 1987). This plant seemed worthy of an in depth review.
Family: Myrtaceae
Common names: Common guava, yellow guava, apple guava. Bayabas, kalimbahin, tayabas, guayabas. Bisayan: Bayabas
(Tagalog); Bayabas, guayabas (llokano)
[Ticzon]. It also has the common names according to the Philippine dialects shown here: Bayabas, guayabas, tayabas, kalimbahin
(Tag.); bayabas (Ilk., Bis., Ibn.); bagabas (Ig.); biabas (Sul.); bayaya (Bik.); gaiyabat, gaiyabit
(If.); gayabas (Bon.) [Hernandez]. In addition, more local and dialect Phillipine names are given as: Bagabas (Ig); bayabas (Ibn., Ilk.,
Tag., C. Bis.), bayaua (Bik.); bayabo (Ibn.); getabas (Bon.); guyabas (Ilk.) [Quisumbing].
In Malay the local names are: Jambu burung,
Jambu padang, Jambu berasu, Jambu bereksa,
Jambu buyawas, Jambu melukut, Jambu Portugal, Jambu batu, Jambu pelawas, Jambu biji, Jambu biyawas [Zakaria]. In Africa the names are: gwaabaa (Hausa); woba (Efik); ugwoba (Igbo); guafa (Yoruba) [Iwu]. In Indian dialects: Sans: Perala; Amratafalam;
Amruta-phalam. Hind: Lal sufrium (red); Amrut. Ben: Lal peyara (red); Goachi-phal;
Peyara; Pyara; Piyra. Bom: Perala. Tel: Jama; Jam-pandu; Goya-pandu. Tam:
Koyapalam; Koyya; Goyya-pazham (Segapu). Mal: Palamper. Can: Perala-hannu.
Jama-phala; Shebe-hannu. Kon: Paera. Sind: Zetton; jamphal. Mah: Peru; Jamba. Guj:
Jamrukh. Assam: Madhuria. Nepal: Amuk. Arab & Pers: Amrud. Punj: Amrut. Burm:
Malakabeng [Nadkarni and Nadkarni]. Ghana: gua, aduaba; oguawa, eguaba, gouwa, aduaba. India: mansala, amrud, peyara, perala, koyya, goyya, lal-jam,
Anthony C. Dweck FLS FRSC FRSH
Dweck Data
Introduction
In the next of our series on Far Eastern plant we look at Guava or Psidium guajava
In folk medicine, extracts of roots, bark, and leaves are used to treat gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhoea, dysentery, wounds, ulcers, toothache, coughs, sore throat, inflamed gums, and a number of other conditions (Morton 1987). This plant seemed worthy of an in depth review.
Family: Myrtaceae
Common names: Common guava, yellow guava, apple guava. Bayabas, kalimbahin, tayabas, guayabas. Bisayan: Bayabas
(Tagalog); Bayabas, guayabas (llokano)
[Ticzon]. It also has the common names according to the Philippine dialects shown here: Bayabas, guayabas, tayabas, kalimbahin
(Tag.); bayabas (Ilk., Bis., Ibn.); bagabas (Ig.); biabas (Sul.); bayaya (Bik.); gaiyabat, gaiyabit
(If.); gayabas (Bon.) [Hernandez]. In addition, more local and dialect Phillipine names are given as: Bagabas (Ig); bayabas (Ibn., Ilk.,
Tag., C. Bis.), bayaua (Bik.); bayabo (Ibn.); getabas (Bon.); guyabas (Ilk.) [Quisumbing].
In Malay the local names are: Jambu burung,
Jambu padang, Jambu berasu, Jambu bereksa,
Jambu buyawas, Jambu melukut, Jambu Portugal, Jambu batu, Jambu pelawas, Jambu biji, Jambu biyawas [Zakaria]. In Africa the names are: gwaabaa (Hausa); woba (Efik); ugwoba (Igbo); guafa (Yoruba) [Iwu]. In Indian dialects: Sans: Perala; Amratafalam;
Amruta-phalam. Hind: Lal sufrium (red); Amrut. Ben: Lal peyara (red); Goachi-phal;
Peyara; Pyara; Piyra. Bom: Perala. Tel: Jama; Jam-pandu; Goya-pandu. Tam:
Koyapalam; Koyya; Goyya-pazham (Segapu). Mal: Palamper. Can: Perala-hannu.
Jama-phala; Shebe-hannu. Kon: Paera. Sind: Zetton; jamphal. Mah: Peru; Jamba. Guj:
Jamrukh. Assam: Madhuria. Nepal: Amuk. Arab & Pers: Amrud. Punj: Amrut. Burm:
Malakabeng [Nadkarni and Nadkarni]. Ghana: gua, aduaba; oguawa, eguaba, gouwa, aduaba. India: mansala, amrud, peyara, perala, koyya, goyya, lal-jam,
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