L.
Description
Melastoma malabathricum L. is an extremely widespread shrub of the Melastomataceae, ranging from the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayan foothills through Southeast Asia and Malesia to southern China, Taiwan, Japan, New Guinea and Australia, with naturalised populations in the Pacific and elsewhere; GBIF records are exceptionally numerous (c. 19,800 occurrences). It is a pioneer of open, disturbed and secondary habitats, roadsides, clearings, grasslands and forest margins, mostly in the tropical lowland to lower montane zone. The photographed plants from eastern Nepal at Tumlingtar (c. 400 m) and Sabha-Khola (c. 1,400 m), both flowering in April, lie at the northwestern margin of its vast range.
The plant is an erect, much-branched shrub 0.5–3 m tall, with stems and leaves clothed in appressed, stiff, scaly-bristly hairs. The leaves are opposite, ovate-lanceolate, and bear the three to five prominent, arcuate, longitudinal veins characteristic of the family. The flowers are large and showy, 4–6 cm across, with five rose-purple to mauve obovate petals. The androecium is dimorphic, with longer purple, geniculate stamens bearing curved appendaged connectives and shorter yellow stamens. The fruit is a fleshy, berry-like capsule that ruptures irregularly to expose abundant small seeds embedded in dark purple pulp, attractive to birds.
Melastoma malabathricum is a taxonomically variable aggregate that has accumulated numerous synonyms, and infraspecific forms are recognised across its range. It is an early-successional coloniser tolerant of acidic, aluminium-rich soils and is widely used in traditional medicine. Of least concern, it can behave as an invasive weed outside its native range.
Author: L. · Sources: POWO (Kew), Flora of China Vol. 13, Flora of Nepal, Flora of Bhutan Vol. 2, GBIF, Renner et al.: Melastomataceae studies