Description
Sprouting seeds!
Myrcia cf. espiritosantensis “Ramos Dourados” is an extraordinary rare fruit tree from Brazil, offered under the collector name “Ramos Dourados”, meaning “Golden Branches”.
This plant was originally offered under the conservative provisional name Myrtaceae sp. “Ramos Dourados”, but after specialist review of the available photographs, it is now best treated as a very unusual Myrcia, probably belonging to Myrcia sect. Gomidesia, and apparently close to Myrcia espiritosantensis.
The identification is still tentative, so we are using the careful botanical format Myrcia cf. espiritosantensis. The abbreviation “cf.” means “compare with” and indicates that the plant appears close to that species, but that confirmation still depends on flowers and/or herbarium material.
The collector name fits the plant beautifully. The branches are long, pendulous, and covered with a remarkable golden to rusty-golden hairiness, giving the plant a very distinctive ornamental appearance even without fruit. The branching habit is especially striking, forming a kind of natural cascading / weeping structure.
The leaves are also exceptional: large, glossy, dark green, and strongly bullate, with a deeply textured surface and pronounced venation. This very textured leaf surface is one of the most striking features of the plant, and gives it an almost prehistoric appearance.
The fruits are reported as sweet, yellow to orange-yellow, somewhat elongated, and with persistent sepals / calyx structures. Their shape, indumentum, and general appearance agree well with the current tentative placement near Myrcia espiritosantensis, although the stronger bullate venation seen in this material may represent variation or a closely related form.
This is not only a rare edible Brazilian Myrtaceae, but also a spectacular ornamental collector plant.
Why it is special
- Extremely rare Brazilian Myrcia.
- Currently treated as Myrcia cf. espiritosantensis.
- Probably belongs to Myrcia sect. Gomidesia.
- From the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil.
- Offered under the collector name “Ramos Dourados”.
- Spectacular golden-haired / rusty-haired young branches.
- Pendulous, weeping, cascade-like branch habit.
- Dark green, glossy, deeply textured bullate leaves.
- Yellow to orange-yellow fruits with persistent sepals.
- Very ornamental even before fruiting.
- Apparently not widely available in the international rare fruit seed market.
- Very limited July Pre-Sale availability.
Fruit description
The fruits are reported as sweet, yellow to orange-yellow, with a rustic wild-fruit appearance. They appear somewhat elongated rather than perfectly rounded, and they show persistent sepals / calyx structures.
The available material suggests a very unusual Myrcia with strong collector value, both for fruit and ornamental qualities. The fruit shape, leaf form, and golden to rusty indumentum are among the reasons why this plant is now being compared with Myrcia espiritosantensis.
Taxonomic note
This plant was first offered under the working collector name Myrtaceae sp. “Ramos Dourados”, because its identity was uncertain. After review of the available photographs by a specialist in Myrcia, the plant is now considered to be a Myrcia, probably in sect. Gomidesia.
The closest match suggested so far is Myrcia espiritosantensis. Leaf shape, golden to rusty hairiness, fruit shape, and general appearance all fit this affinity. Some herbarium material of M. espiritosantensis has also been described as having decumbent branches, which is especially interesting because the pendulous / cascading habit is one of the most distinctive features of “Ramos Dourados”.
However, the identification is not considered final. The leaves in this material appear especially bullate, with very pronounced venation, and flowers are still needed for a more confident determination. For that reason, we are using the cautious name Myrcia cf. espiritosantensis “Ramos Dourados”.
Growing notes
This material should be treated like a warm-humid Brazilian Atlantic Forest Myrtaceae.
Recommended conditions:
- Warm temperatures.
- High humidity.
- Bright shade or partial sun while young.
- Rich, organic, slightly acidic, well-draining soil.
- Protection from frost.
- Container culture possible while young.
For colder climates, grow in a pot and overwinter in a bright, warm, frost-free place.
Note
This is rare collector material from Brazil, offered under a working collector name. The exact species is still pending confirmation, but the genus is now being treated as Myrcia, with the best current tentative identification being Myrcia cf. espiritosantensis.
The name “Ramos Dourados” refers to the distinctive golden-haired, pendulous branches.
Photos and descriptions are based on the source fruits, leaves, branches, and available collector information. Seedling variation is possible.
Fresh recalcitrant seeds
Like most rare tropical Myrtaceae, these seeds should be considered recalcitrant. They do not tolerate drying and should be planted as soon as possible after arrival.
Depending on transit time and freshness, some seeds may already be starting to germinate.
Germination advice
- Sow immediately upon arrival.
- Keep seeds moist, but never waterlogged.
- Use a well-draining substrate with organic matter, such as peat/coir plus perlite.
- Ideal temperature: 24–28°C / 75–82°F.
- Keep in bright shade or filtered light.
- Maintain humidity, but allow some airflow.
- Avoid harsh direct sun while seedlings are young.
- Never allow the seeds to dry completely.
Important July batch shipping note
This item belongs to our July Pre-Sale batch.
We strongly recommend ordering July batch seeds together, so they can be shipped in the same fresh-seed shipment.
When combining this item with seeds from other batches, the safest option is to add only dry/tolerant seeds, or to pay for a second shipment. Fresh Myrtaceae seeds may sprout or lose quality when held too long waiting for items from another batch.
Orders containing items from different batches may require a split shipment for best seed quality.
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