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Family Myrtaceae
Putian
Syzygium leucoxylon Korth.
OBAH

Scientific names Common names
Eugenia alcinae Merr.            Putian (Tagalog)
Eugenia brevistylis C.B.Rob.            Kanomay ?
Eugenia leucoxylon (Korth.) Miq.         Lagi-lagi ?
Eugenia verecunda Duthie      
Myrtus leucoxylon Korth. ex Miq.          
Syzygium alcinae (Merr.) Merr.           
Syzygium leucoxylon Korth.           
Syzygium verecundum (Duthie) Wall. ex Masam.           
Syzygium leucoxylong is an accepted species. KEW: Plants of the World Online

Other vernacular names
BORNEO: Obah.

Gen info
- Syzygium is a genus of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, which comprises about 1200 species. Most species are evergreen trees and shrubs.
- Syzygium was taxonomically confused with the genus Eugenia, which has highest specific diversity in the neotropics. Many species formerly classed as Eugenia are now included in the genus Syzygium, although the former may still persist in horticulture. (4)
- Etymology: The genus name derives from Latin syzygia, meaning "joining together or in conjunction."
- The species Syzygium leucoxylon was first described in 1848 by botanist Pieter Willem Korthals from specimens growing on the mountain Gunung Pamaton in Borneo.  
(2)

Botany

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
- In dry thickets and forested slopes at low elevation.
- Also native to Borneo, Malaya. (1)

Constituents
- Study of Syzygium leucoxylon leaves isolated two new phenolics, leucoxenols A (1) and B (2) as major secondary metabolites. (see study below) (3)

Properties
Studies have suggested antifungal properties.

Parts used
Fruits, leaves.

Uses

Edibility
- Fruit is edible, astringent, varying from acid to fairly sweet, sometimes unpalatable.
Folkloric
- In Malaysian traditional medicine, used for anti-flatulence, antiemetic, antidiarrheal, expectorant, and carditonic; also used for snakebites and to treat body swelling. (3)
- Fruits used by Dusun people to relieve stomach ache and headache. (3)

Studies
Leucoxenols A and B / Antifungal / Leaves:
Study of Syzygium leucoxylon leaves isolated two new phenolics, leucoxenols A (1) and B (2) as major secondary metabolites. The compounds were fund to be active against selected strains of fungi. A crude extract showed hyphal and zoosphore inhibition against Lagenidium thermophium. L. thermophium is a fungal infection found in eggs and larvae of black tiger shrimp Penaeuus monodon. (3)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

August 2023

                                                 PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS
IMAGE SOURCE: Photo - Myrtaceae : Syzygium alcinae / Flowering twig / det. Jayson Mansibang / Copyright © 2014 by P B Pelser & J F Barcelona (contact: [email protected]) [ref. DOL91898] / Non-Commercial Use / image modified / click on image or link to go to source page / Phytoimages.siu.edu
OTHER IMAGE SOURCE: Photo - Myrtaceae : Syzygium leucoxylon / Fruits / Cerlin Ng / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 / Non-Commercial Use / image modified / click on image or link to go to source page / flickr

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Syzygium leucoxylon / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(2)
Syzygium leucoxylon / Wikipedia
(3)

Leucoxenols A and B, two new phenolics from Bornean medicinal plant Syzygium leucoxylon
/ Kamsirah Jim Shamsudin, Chin-Soon Phan, Julius Kulip, Kishio Hatai, Charles Santhanaraju Vairappan, Takashi Kamada /  Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, 2019; 21(5): pp 435-441 /
DOI: 10.1080/10286020.2018.1440391
(4)
Syzygium / Wikipedia

DOI: It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)

                                                            List of Understudied Philippine Medicinal Plants

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