Melastoma cyanoides Sm.

A medium sized shrub. It grows up to 2.5 m high and spreads 1-2 m wide. It has an open bushy habit. Young growth has rusty hairs. The leaves are simple and 3-12 cm long by 2.5-6 cm wide. Both sides of the leaf have a sandpapery texture due to rough hairs. Leaves are dark green above and paler underneath. The flower panicles are crowded and at the ends of branches or in the axils of upper leaves. There are up to 7 flowers in a group. The flowers are 2.5-3 cm across and white. The fruit are 16 mm long by 9 mm wide. They occur singly or in clusters. They can be in the axils of leaves or at the end of branches. The fruit are red. They have many small seeds inside. The fruit are edible.

Grows in rainforest, usually in disturbed areas or alongside roads or margins.

Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings.