Vasilis Teodoridis:
Melastomataceae | Melastoma
5. Melastoma malabathricum Linnaeus; Sp. Pl. 2: 390. 1753.
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Melastoma affine D. Don; M. candidum D. Don; M. cavaleriei H. Léveillé & Vaniot; M. esquirolii H. Léveillé; M. malabathricum subsp. normale (D. Don) K. Meyer; M. normale D. Don; M. polyanthum Blume.
Shrubs 0.5-1(-5) m tall; erect. Stems 4-sided to subterete; branchlets numerous; procumbent; densely covered with appressed scales. Petiole 0.5-1.9 cm; leaf blade ovate; elliptic; or elliptic-lanceolate; 4-14 x 1.7-3.5(-6) cm; stiffly papery; abaxially densely strigose and puberulous; adaxially densely strigose; secondary veins 2(or 3) on each side of midvein; tertiary veins numerous and parallel; base rounded to subcordate; margin entire; apex acuminate. Inflorescences subcapitate corymbose; terminal; 3-7-flowered; with 2 leaflike bracts at base. Pedicel 2-8(-10) mm; strigose; apically 2-bracteolate; bracteoles lanceolate to subulate; 2-5 mm; abaxially densely strigose; margin ciliate. Hypanthium 5-9 mm; densely compressed strigose; margin fimbriate. Calyx lobes lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate; apex acuminate; on both sides and along their margin squamosly strigose and pubescent. Petals reddish purple; 2-3(-4) cm; margin only ciliate; apex rounded. Longer stamens with connective long extended at base; curved; apex bifid. Shorter stamens with anthers 2-tuberculate at base; connective not extended. Ovary half inferior; densely strigose; apically with a ring of setae. Fruit urceolate-globular; 6-15 x 6-12 mm; succulent; densely squamose strigose. Fl. Feb-Aug; fr. Jul-Dec.
Open fields; grasslands; scrub; thickets; sparse forests; bamboo forests; trailsides; 100-2800 m. Fujian; Guangdong; Guangxi; Guizhou; Hainan; Hunan; Jiangxi; Sichuan; Taiwan; SE Xizang; Yunnan; Zhejiang [Cambodia; India; Japan; Laos; Malaysia; Myanmar; Nepal; Philippines; Thailand; Vietnam; Pacific islands].