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Micronesian Names by Islands or Island Groups: Kesíil (Palau), Arfath ni pan or Arfath ni l'ay (Yap), A’abang (Mariana Islands), Wénúngngút (Chuuk)
Description: Eugenia reinwardtiana is a small to medium-sized understory forest tree or shrub in the Myrtle family, Myrtaceae. E. reinwardtiana grows to variable heights from about 1.5 to 7 m (5 to 25 ft) in height. “A good identification feature is the light brown trunk with thin outer bark that constantly sloughs off in irregular shaped pieces” (Moore and McMakin 1978:32).
Its oppositely arranged, light green leaves are tough, but flexible, leather-like, elliptic to ovate or obovate, 2.5-8 cm (1-3.5 in) in length and 2-6.5 cm (1.5-2.5 in) in width; the leaves are pointed at both ends and have reticulated venation is visible on the leaf surface. The whitish, flowers, usually growing singly in leaf axils, are small with many stamens; and the red, orange, or yellow fruits (berries) are somewhat spherical or egg shaped (globose) and capped with a persistent calyx; they are about 1-2.5 cm (1/2-1 in) in length.
Distribution: The wild or non-cultivated Eugenia reinwardtiana is widely distributed, but is moderately abundant (especially in limestone areas) to relatively scarce in other habitats of the Indo-Pacific region. It occurs from parts of insular Southeast Asia and areas of tropical northern Australia to some Pacific Islands such as Palau, Yap, Guam and Chuuk in Micronesia, as well as in some of the Tuamotu Islands of French Polynesia, and in some rainforest areas of Hawai`i where it is uncommon. E. reinwardtiana is normally found growing as a shrub on or near beaches, but is also found as a small understory tree in coastal or beach forests, sometimes in forests with monsoon or drier, more seasonal rain forest. On the other hand, it is seldom found in well developed rain forest. Other closely related woody myrtaceous species bearing edible fruits and useful timber are discussed below under the Genus Syzygium.
Uses by Island or Island Group: Eugenia reinwardtiana is sometimes cultivated in coastal areas for its succulent edible fruit or valuable, dense, tough wood. E. reinwardtiana are attractive, medium to slow growing, relatively small woody species that can used as a ornamental plant in the landscape. However, itis highly susceptible to attacks by a bright yellow rust parasite (Puccinia psidii) as is other related species in the Myrtle family; these rust infections can be particularly troublesome in wet environments or during the rainy season. The thin-skinned fruit of E. reinwardtiana has a thin, fleshy, slightly resinous, but somewhat flavorful pulp that surrounds a single seed. The juicy and grape-like flavored pulp is sometimes used to flavor drinks, sweets and preserves. In addition, the fruit of E. reinwardtiana is said to be a rich source of antioxidants.
Uses in Palau: Eugenia reinwardtiana is known as Kesíil in Palau where it is a common component of the vegetation on the sharply eroded limestone karst areas of this archipelago. Kitalong (2008:18) reported that E. reinwardtiana was the most common tree species on the limestone rock islands of Palau based on her study of a cluster of 10 rock islands in the Ngerukuid Preserve of the southern lagoon of Palau and on Sngall Ridge, a part of a larger limestone island 32 km northeast of the Preserve (also see Birkeland and Manner 1989, Kitalong 2014). Tuyama (1941) noted the fruit of this woody species could be eaten, and that its timber is firm and durable. Indeed, the hard wood of E. reinwardtiana has been used in house construction and “speargun making” (Cynthia Chin, personal communication, 2002). The use of weapons made out of a strong woody stem of Kesíil (Eugenia reinwardtiana) is reportedly described in one the well-known Palauan orally transmitted stories and legends. Originally, these colorful, informative stories and legends were carved on the beams of Palauan village men's meeting houses (bai). In the 20th century it is reported that “A Japanese man, Dr. Isakatsu Hidikata, developed a system of carving those stories on smaller wooden planks and taught it to Palauan carvers to use as a commercial enterprise” (Ramarui and Limberg 1970:3-4). In general, these Palauan storyboards are acknowledged to be “this country's most unique handicraft [as] the legends tell amusing or tragic stories of romance and derring-do, usually with some type of moral teaching inspiration” (Ramarui and Limberg 1970.) The Palauan storyboard tale presented below refers to the use of powerful and piercing spear made out of the stem of Kesíil (E. reinwardtiana).
“THE MARKED LOVERS: Two [Palauan] friends always fished together tut one always returned home early. Eventually, the one suspected the other of visiting his wife upon his early return. One morning, before he left with the friend, he mixed, oil and black squid juice and convinced, his ailing wife that it was medicine that must be smeared on her body. He left to fish but returned shortly after his friend to find the two lovers marked with black oil. With one mighty thrust of his spear, the two died together, pinned to the floor” (Ramarui and Limberg 1970:18-19).
There are also some references to the medicinal uses of Kesíil in Palau; for example, according to Okabe (see Defilipps et al. 1988), as a treatment for gonorrhea, “ten young leaves of E. reinwardtiana are mixed with ten young leaves of Piper betle and eaten raw.”
Uses in Yap: The Yapese names for this native woody plant, Arfath ni pan, the “wild apple” and Arfath ni l’ay, the “coastal apple,” indicate that it (of E. reinwardtiana) is related to the introduced, cultivated so-called mountain or Malaya apple (Syzygium malaccense, known in Yapese as Arfath); in fact, botanists classify both of these woody species as belonging to the Myrtle family. More recently, as Falanruw (2015:158) pointed out, the genus Eugenia has been split, on one hand, into Eugenia, which includes most of the small-fruited species, such as E. reinwardtiana described hereor the “Surinam Cherry,” E. uniflora, and, on the other hand, the genus Syzygium, containing most of the bigger-fruited species that have been introduced to Yap and elsewhere in Micronesia. Some of the key Syzygium species in Micronesia are discussed in other sections listed below. Parts of E. reinwardtiana plants are reportedly used in traditional Yapese medicine. As noted above, E. reinwardtiana produces very strong hard wood, and was formerly carved into ax handles and weapons such as spears and clubs in Yap. The hard wood is is also eportedly used in house construction in Yap.
Uses in the Mariana Islands: Eugenia reinwardtiana is known in as A’abang in the Mariana Islands where it is a common tree in the limestone forest communities such as that found in the northern half of the island of Guam. Although the fruit of E. reinwardtiana edible when mature, some reports from Guam indicate that is is not very flavorful. A good identification feature of A’abang is the light brown trunk with thin outer bark that constantly sloughs off in irregular shaped pieces. Although the outer bark sloughs off, the dense wood of this species is especially hard and makes excellent firewood. The timber from A’abanghas also been used “to make coconut husking stakes and was once used to make rice-pounding pestles” (Moore and McMakin 1978:32); and in addition, A’abang wood has been used to make tool handles, fence posts, walking sticks, and for house construction (e.g., see http://cnas-re.uog.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Aabang.pdf; Also see Safford 1905).
Uses in Chuuk: Parts of Eugenia reinwardtiana,which is purportedly known as Wénúngngút in Chuukese, are said to have been used in traditional medicine in Chuuk; and because it produces very strong hard wood, it was formerly carved into ax handles and weapons such as spears and clubs. In addition, the hard wood has also been reportedly used for house construction, and as a valuable timber, this small to medium-sized tree also has been used to make coconut-husking sticks.