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 descrïption 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.
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