Melastoma imbricatum Wall. ex Triana

Species

Angiosperms > Myrtales > Melastomataceae > Melastoma

Characteristics

Shrubs or trees, 1-5(-7) m tall. Stems 4-sided or obtusely 4-sided; branchlets numerous, densely appressed squamose strigose. Petiole 1.8-6.5 cm; leaf blade broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, 8-21 × 5.5-13.5 cm, stiffly papery, abaxially puberulous and squamose strigose, adaxially strigose and puberulous only, secondary veins (2 or)3 on each side of midvein, tertiary veins numerous, parallel, and conspicuous, base rounded to cuneate, margin entire and appressed ciliate, apex acute. Inflorescences terminal, corymbose, ca. 12-flowered, with 2 leaflike bracts at base. Pedicel 3-12 mm, squamosly strigose; bracteoles very small or absent. Hypanthium 2-2.3 cm, densely squamose strigose. Calyx lobes ovate-lanceolate 1.1-1.3 cm, caducous, inside densely strigose, margin ciliate, apex acuminate. Petals pink to red, obovate, ca. 2 × 1.5 cm, margin densely ciliate, apically oblique, apex rounded. Longer stamens with connective long extended at base, curved, apex bifid. Shorter stamens with connective not extended, 2-tuberculate at base. Ovary half inferior, apex densely bristly. Fruit urceolate-globular, ca. 1.3 × 0.9 cm, succulent, densely squamose strigose. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Feb-Mar or Dec.
More
A shrub or small tree. It grows 1-5 m tall. The stems are 4 sided. There are many branches with dense hairs. The leaves are broadly oval and 8-21 cm long by 6-14 cm wide. They are hairy especially underneath. There are about 12 flowers in a group at the ends of the branches. There are 2 leaf like bracts at the base. The petals are pink to red. The fruit are round or urn shaped and 1.3 cm long by 0.9 cm wide.
Life form -
Growth form shrub
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Mature height (meter) 1.0 - 5.0
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JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
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JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
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Environment

A tropical plant. It grows in dense broad-leaved forests and most places between 100-1,500 m above sea level in southern China.
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Usage

Uses medicinal
Edible seeds
Therapeutic use -
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Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

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Distribution

Melastoma imbricatum world distribution map, present in China and Thailand

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77178100-1
WFO ID wfo-0001225521
COL ID 3ZD2J
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Melastoma tamonea Melastoma imbricatum