MELASTOMA

Plant Division :

Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)

Plant Growth Form :

Tree (Shrubby (1m-5m)), Shrub (Woody)

Lifespan (in Singapore) :

Perennial

Mode of Nutrition :

Autotrophic

Plant Shape :

Irregular

Maximum Height :

1 m to 5 m

Native Distribution :

Indian Ocean, China, Taiwan, south and Southeast Asia
(including Singapore), Australia, and the south Pacific

Native Habitat :

Terrestrial (Mountain; Secondary Rainforest; Grassland /

Savannah/ Scrubland; Disturbed Area / Open Ground)
Preferred Climate Zone :

Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Local Conservation Status :

Native to Singapore (Common)

Plant Morphology :

Growth Form: it's a bush or little tree up to five m tall.
Its stems reddish, covered with small scales.

Foliage:

Its opposite, pedunculate leaves have leaf blades that area unit lance-shaped, 2–15 by 0.6–6.5 cm, and bear 3 outstanding veins–one central and 2 marginal. Leaves are bristly on the underside.

Flowers:

Its flowers area unit up to eight cm wide, with petals that area unit light-weight to
dark magenta-pink, or occasionally white. The flowers last only a day.
Fruits: Its 6–10 mm-wide fruits area unit somewhat spherical, and open on an irregular basis once ripe to
expose dark blue pulp with many orange seeds. The fruits are edible but rather tasteless,
with the pulp staining the tongue blue-black.
[Others]: It is a pioneer species frequently found in wastelands and secondary forests. It can tolerate poor soils and is considered as weedy or invasive in some countries.

Habitat :

It grows in open sites, in the lowlands and on mountains up to 3,000 m altitude.

Associated Fauna :

Fruits eaten by birds, squirrels and monkeys in the wild. Flowers attracts Pearly-banded
bees, Dwarf Carpenter Bees, Large Carpenter Bees. Blue-banded Digger Bee, for pollens.

Cultivation :

It are often propagated by seed or stem cutting.

Etymology :

Genus name ‘Melastoma’ means that ‘black mouth’ in Greek, a regard to the dark-coloured
pulp.

Ethnobotanical Uses :

Edible Plant Parts (Edible Fruits; Edible Leaves; Edible Seeds)
Food (Fruit & Vegetable: Young leaves eaten raw or cooked, taste sour. Pulp around
seeds also eaten in Indonesia.)
Edible Plant Parts (Edible Fruits; Edible Leaves; Edible Seeds), Medicinal (The bark is utilised
for treating dysentery and toothache. A decoction of the leaves is used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, indigestion, leucorrhoea, stomach-ache, piles, thrush, and weeping sores from
insect stings. The leaves can be applied to cuts, painful arthritic joints, swellings and wounds too. The leaves are also made into a wash for ulcers and to prevent scarring from smallpox. The powdered leaves and roots may be applied on haemorrhoids and wounds. The roots may
be used as a mouth wash for toothache.)
[Others]: Leaves fed to silkworms in certain areas. Seeds used to produce a black dye, while
the roots a pink dye.

Landscaping :

It is fully grown as a decorative plant for its enticing pink or white flowers, in borders orhedges.

Desirable Plant Features :

Ornamental Flowers

Plant & Rootzone Preference/Tolerance :

Moist Soils, wet Soils (Drains Site), simple to Grow, [Remarks] (Moist soil.)

Landscape Uses :

General, Roadside Tree / Palm, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Riverine, Flowerbed /Border

Thematic Landscaping :

Naturalistic Garden, angiosperm Garden, Butterfly Garden, Bird & Wildlife Garden

Usage Hazards / Cons :

Invasive / Potentially Invasive, [Remarks] (Considered weedy. May form thick thickets.)

Associated Fauna :

Bird-Attracting (Fruits), Butterfly Food Plant (Flower Nectar), Caterpillar Food Plant(Leaves; Associated with: Tanaecia iapis, Rapala iarbus), Bee-Attracting

Pollination Method(s) :

Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Butterfly, Moth); Insects (Bee))

Seed / Spore Dispersal :

Biotic (Fauna) (Vertebrates (Other Mammal))

Light Preference :

Full Sun, Semi-Shade

Water Preference :

Lots of Water, Moderate Water

Propagation Method :

Seed, Stem Cutting

Foliage Retention :

Evergreen

Mature Foliage Colour(s) :

Green

Mature Foliage Texture(s) :

Hairy / Hirsute, Rough, Raised / Sunken Veins

Foliar Type :

Simple / Unifoliate

Foliar Arrangement Along Stem :

Opposite

Foliar Attachment to Stem :

Petiolate

Foliar Shape(s) :

Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate)

Foliar Venation :

Pinnate / Net, Parallel

Foliar Margin :

Entire

Leaf Area Index (LAI) * for Green Plot Ratio :

4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot)

Flower & Plant Sexuality :

Bisexual Flowers

Flower Colour(s) :

Pink, Purple

Flower Grouping :

Cluster / Inflorescence

Flower Location :

Terminal

Flower Symmetry :

RadialFlowering Period :

Free-Flowering

Flower Lifespan On Plant :

1 Day

Flowering Habit :

Polycarpic

Mature Fruit Colour(s) [Angiosperms & Gymnosperms] :

Black

Fruit Classification :

Simple Fruit

Fruit Type :

Fleshy Fruit (Non-Accessory Fruit: Berry)