Syzygium tierneyanum

River cherry
Growing on the Cairns Esplanade, November 2022
Conservation status
Least Concern  (NCA) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Syzygium
Species:	S. tierneyanum
Binomial name
Syzygium tierneyanum (F.Muell.) T.G.Hartley & L.M.Perry [2] [3]
Synonyms [3]
7 synonyms Eugenia tierneyanaF.Muell. Jambosa tierneyana(F.Muell.) Diels Eugenia theodori-wolfiiDomin Jambosa floribundaDiels Syzygium floribundumK.Schum. & Lauterb. Syzygium lauterbachianumMerr. & L.M.Perry Syzygium lauterbachianum var. phaeophloiumMerr. & L.M.Perry

Syzygium tierneyanum, commonly known as river cherry, water cherry, or Bamaga satinash, is a tree in the family Myrtaceae which is native to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and north east Queensland. ^{[3] [4]} It often grows along watercourses where it is a facultative rheophyte. ^[4]

Description

Syzygium tierneyanum is a medium sized spreading tree up to about 20 m (66 ft) in height with grey bark and an open crown. ^[5] The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs on the twigs and can reach up to 14 cm (5.5 in) long, with well-spaced lateral veins. Numerous small white flowers are produced in the summer and are followed by cream, pink or red edible berries about 3 cm (1.2 in) diameter. ^{[6] [7]}

Taxonomy

The river cherry was first described as Eugenia tierneyana in 1865 by Ferdinand von Mueller. ^[5] It was reviewed and given its current binomial name in 1973 by Thomas Gordon Hartley and Lily May Perry. ^[8]

Conservation

This species is listed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science as least concern. ^[1] As of 13 November 2022 ^[update] , it has not been assessed by the IUCN.

Cultivation

This species has been widely planted as a park and street tree in the city of Cairns, Queensland. ^[9]

Gallery

• 
  Trunk
• 
  Flowers
• 
  Fruit
• 
  Tree beside Freshwater Creek in Cairns

References

1. "Species profile—Syzygium tierneyanum (river cherry)". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
2. "Syzygium tierneyanum". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government . Retrieved 13 November 2022.
3. "Syzygium tierneyanum (F.Muell.) T.G.Hartley & L.M.Perry". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 13 November 2022.
4. F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Syzygium tierneyanum". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 13 November 2022.
5. Mueller, Ferdinand von (1865). Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ (in Latin). Vol. 5. Melbourne: Joannis Ferres. p. 14. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
6. "Syzygium tierneyanum". James Cook Univercity. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
7. Simpson, Donald. "Syzygium tierneyanum". Some Magnetic Island Plants. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
8. Hartley, T.G.; Perry, Lily May (1973). "A provisional key and enumeration of species of Syzygium (Myrtaceae) from Papuasia". Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 54 (2): 200.
9. "TreePlotter". Cairns Regional Council’s Street and Park Tree Database. Retrieved 13 November 2022.

External links

• View a map of historical sightings of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
• View observations of this species on iNaturalist
• View images of this species on Flickriver