feijoa

/fay yoh"euh, -hoh"euh/, n.

1. a shrub, Feijoa sellowiana, of the myrtle family, native to South America, bearing edible, greenish, plumlike fruit.

2. the fruit of this shrub. Also called pineapple guava.

[ < NL (1858), after João da Silva Feijó (1760-1824), Brazilian soldier and naturalist; see -A²]

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▪ species

      (species Feijoa sellowiana), small tree of the family Myrtaceae, related to the guava and often called pineapple guava. It is native to southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and parts of Argentina and is cultivated in mild, dry climates for its fruit. The feijoa was introduced into southern Europe in 1890 and into California about 1900.

      The tree is about 5 m (15 feet) high and has olivelike leaves, dark green above and silvery beneath. The large, white flowers have purplish crimson interiors. The oblong fruit is approximately 5 cm (2 inches) long and dull green in colour, marked with crimson. It has a translucent, tender pulp with a pineapple-like flavour.

      The fruits fall when mature but must be kept in a cool place until soft enough to eat. They are made into jam and jelly and also crystallized. Feijoas are propagated by seeds, cuttings, whip grafting, and layering of low branches.

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