Punica granatum L.

• Title

  Punica granatum L.

• Authors

  Nathaniel Lord Britton, Frances W. Horne

• Scientific Name

  Punica granatum L.

• Description

  Flora Borinqueña Punica Granatum Granada Pomegranate Family Punicaceae Pomegranate Family Punica Granatum Linnaeus, Species Plantarum 472. 1753. Widely planted in tropical and subtropical regions for its important fruit, the Pomegranate is occasionally spontaneous from seed. It is a smooth, unarmed or spiny shrub, or small tree, with untoothed, mostly opposite leaves, and large, showy, regular, scarlet, or white flowers, followed by the well-known, nearly globular fruit. The Linnaean genus Punica, the name Latin, from the Roman name of Carthage, whence the fruit was obtained, constitutes the Family Punicaceae, and there is only 1 species, made up of several races. Punica Granatum (from ancient name of the fruit) may reach a height of about 7 meters, but is usually much smaller. Its leathery, oblong to elliptic, short-stalked leaves are from 1 to 8 centimeters long, and pointed, blunt, or notched. The spines, when present, are about 2 centimeters long, or shorter. The flowers are solitary, or few together on short, stout stalks in the leaf-axils; the leathery calyx, attached to the ovary, is top-shaped, becoming globose in ripening, and has from 5 to 7, triangular-lanceolate, pointed lobes, which, finally, fall away; there are from 5 to 7, wrinkled, short-clawed, scarlet, or white petals with nearly orbicular blades about 2.5 centimeters long, or shorter; the numerous, slender stamens are borne in many series on the calyx-tube; the several-celled ovary contains many ovules, superimposed in 2 series; the styles are united, the stigma slightly lobed. The large, nearly globular fruit, technically a berry, is from 6 to 14 centimeters in diameter, several-celled, with a hard coat and watery pulp, containing many seeds. The interesting dwarf race, known as Punica nana, is occasionally grown in Porto Rico gardens.