What type of berry?

I sent the photo to a friend, a noted naturalist that has published numerous books on Florida native and non-native plants. He indicated it was not gallberry, but Java plum, a category 1 invasive plant. Gallberry has round fruit and leaves are alternate leaves.

Guess the critters will continue to spread them.

Funny— I saved the op’s photo when he posted to my iPhone and asked it what kind of plant is was— first entry, Java plum. I read about where it is and discounted it as non- native, and didn’t bother to reply to the thread. Apparently I should have known better with all the invasives we have and I should trust it more!

I did the same on my phone and it came back with cherry laurel and being as cherry laurel was native I assumed it was right.  Always good to learn something.

After seeing the fruit in Bow Hunters hand , it looks too large(the fruit) to be be either one. That's why I think Java plum maybe right. The leaf serrations on wild cherry are deeper than than what appears in the original photo plus it appears to be growing in a wet hammock and all the wild cherry I've seen liked drier land. This is all my just opinion as I am certainly no botanist.

Java plum is correct.

florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=338


Everything you could possibly want to know about this plant.

www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/java-plum

Jamun is an important minor fruit of Indian origin, which grows widely in various agroclimatic conditions and is one of the hardiest fruit trees (Singh et al., 1967). It is an evergreen tropical tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae. Syzygium cumini is native to Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Jamun is also found in Thailand, the Philippines, the West Indies, and many other tropical and subtropical countries (Morton, 1968). The fruit syrup is very useful for curing diarrhea. It is stomachic, carminative, and diuretic, apart from having cooling and digestive properties (Thaper, 1958).

Jamun seeds are also known for their medicinal properties and are used to treat diabetes, diarrhea, and dysentery. Bhargva et al. (1969) have shown that consumption of jamun markedly lowers blood pressure. The fruit can be used for making dry wine of acceptable quality, and high-quality alcoholic beverage can also be prepared from jamun juice (Joshi et al., 2012a). In Goa and the Philippines, jamun fruits are an important source of wine, somewhat like port and the distilled liquors. Brandy and jambava have also been made from the fermented fruit.