malabar melastome phutki phutkala shrubs

navigate by keyword : yellow widespread variable undefined sweet stamens species southeast shrub separate seeds rubber rounded rice red purple pulp pointed plantation petals orchards occasionally numerous numbering narrowly morphologically melastomes melastome melastoma malabathricum malabar mahogany leaves lanceolate genus fruit forest flowered flower evergreen elliptic dissimilar descrption curved crops coated clusters capsule berrylike astringent asia arranged anthers acute

Malabar melastome phutki phutkala forest shrubs Royalty Free Stock Photo

Malabar melastome phutki phutkala shrubs

Malabar Melastome is an evergreen shrub, up to 2 m tall. In Southeast Asia and elsewhere it is a widespread weed of industrial forest plantation crops (such as rubber and mahogany), orchards, and rice fields. Melastoma malabathricum is the most widespread and morphologically most variable species of the genus, resulting in the descrÃ¯ption of many separate species. Leaves elliptic to lanceolate, 6-15 x 2-6.5 cm, occasionally narrowly lanceolate to oblong, 4-6 x 0.6-1.5 cm, base rounded to acute, tip pointed. Its flowers vary from light to dark pink and have 5 petals. The flowers are arranged in around 1-5 flowered clusters. Like all Melastomes it has dissimilar stamens, numbering twice the number of petals. The flower shows 5 purple, curved anthers, and 5 yellow anthers. Fruit a berry-like capsule with numerous seeds coated with red, sweet astringent pulp.