1187

12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2

Melastoma malabathricum L.

This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Melastoma in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.

Sp. pl. 1: 390 (1753).

Melastoma affine D. Don (1823), Melastoma denticulatum Labill. (1824), Melastoma polyanthum Blume (1831).

Brunei: kuduk kuduk, kemungting uman (Iban). Indonesia: harendong (Sundanese), senggani, kemanden (Javanese). Malaysia: Singapore rhododendron, senduduk (Peninsular, Sabah). Philippines: malatungau (Ibanag), bubtoi (Sambali), yagomyum (Cebu Bisaya). Thailand: khlongkhleng khee nok (south-eastern), mang khre (peninsular), chuk naaree (Bangkok). Vietnam: mua da hung, mua se.

From the Indian Ocean Islands throughout South and South-East Asia, China, Taiwan, Australia and South Pacific Ocean.

In Peninsular Malaysia, a decoction of the leaves alone or in a mixture is used for diarrhoea. A decoction of roots and leaves is given to women after childbirth. Powdered leaves and roots may be sprinkled on wounds. They are used in an application for haemorrhoids apparently for their astringent properties. Roots are simply sucked or may be used for making a gargle in toothache. In Sumatra, the ground leaves are applied as a compress to cuts, wounds and swellings. In Java, a decoction of the leaves or sap from the pounded leaves affords a remedy for diarrhoea, dysentery, and leucorrhoea. In East Kalimantan, a strong decoction of the leaves is externally applied on painful arthritic joints. Likewise the decoction is applied to weeping sores caused by stinging insect hairs, to aid extraction of the hairs. The same preparation is applied to disinfect other types of weeping wounds. In other parts of Borneo, roots and fruits are sucked for toothache and flowers are rubbed on small cuts. A decoction of the leaves is drunk to treat stomach-ache. In Thailand, the whole plant is used for diarrhoea, dysentery and as an astringent. The leaf juice is used for indigestion. In Fiji, a decoction of the leaves is used to treat stomach complaints and thrush. Chewed leaves are applied as a poultice on wounds. The bark is used to treat dysentery and toothache. In Java, the young shoots are eaten as a fresh or cooked vegetable. It is locally cultivated as an ornamental.

A shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall, young branches quadrangular, covered with appressed, spreading or erect scales and/or bristles, bark brown, old branches terete, glabrescent; leaves elliptical to lanceolate, (4—)6—15 cm x (0.6—)2—6.5 cm, base rounded to acute, apex acuminate, 5- or 7-veined, above and beneath strigose to pilose; cyme terminal, 3—12-flowered; flowers normally 5-merous, hypanthium campanulate 5—11 mm x 1—10 mm, covered with long golden to red scales, sepals lanceolate, intersepalar emergences present, petals obovate, 15—35 mm x 10—22 mm, violet, seldom white, stamens dimorphic (seldom monomorphic), anther of longer outer stamens violet, connective prolonged, filaments 6—12 mm long, anther of inner stamens yellow, connective not prolonged, filaments 5.5—9.5 mm long, ovary shorter than hypanthium, crowned by bristles; capsule fleshy, 7—11 mm x 6—10 mm, opening irregularly transversely at maturity, exposing the soft dark blue pulp with orange seeds. Melastoma malabathricum is found in disturbed locations, on fallow land, or in grasslands from sea-level up to 3000 m altitude. On the basis of the indumentum on leaves and branches two subspecies are recognized: subsp. malabathricum with strigose to slightly pilose leaves beneath and branches covered with scales, and subsp. normale (D. Don) K. Meyer with pilose leaves beneath and strigose branches. The latter subspecies has a more northern distribution and is confined to higher elevations in tropical areas.

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J.L.C.H. van Valkenburg & N. Bunyapraphatsara

van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. & Bunyapraphatsara, N., 2001. Melastoma malabathricum L.. In: van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. and Bunyapraphatsara, N. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea