Melastoma.] 
LIX. MELASTOMACEA5. 
7 6 5 
lobes broad lanceolate caudate as long as tube. Petals 1-5 in. 
long, pink. Stamens shorter. Hab. Hill forests at about 3000 ft. 
altitude. Johor, Kampong Simpai, Batu Pahat (Kelsall). Pahang, 
Gunong Lesang, Kwantan (Foxworthy) ; Telom. Selangor, Bukit 
Hitam. Perak, Thaiping Hills; Hermitage Hill (Curtis). Distrib. 
Java, Lingga. 
(6) M. polyanthum Bl. Flora 1831, p.480. M. appressum Benth. 
in Wall Cat. 4081. M. malabathricum var. polyanthum Clarke, 
l.c. ii. 523. 
Shrub 3 to 8 ft. tall. Scales usually shorter than in M. mala¬ 
bathricum. Leaves narrow lanceolate acute, narrowed to the base, 
2 to 3-5 in. long, -5 to 1-5 in. wide; petioles -3 in. long. Corymb 
of 8 to 10 flowers. Bracts minute or none. Calyx cylindric, *3 in. 
long; scales short ovate acute; lobes -15 in. long, linear-acute. 
Petals -5 in. long, rose mauve, rarely white or pink and white. 
Stamens -6 in. long. Fruit -3 in. through, pink, dehiscing trans¬ 
versely, pulp black. Hab. Very common in open country in the 
south of the peninsula. Singapore, Malacca, Selangor, Perak, 
Gunong Keledang. Penang (Porter, Wall Cat. 4081). Kelantan, 
Kwala Aring (Yapp); Kampong Kota (Gimlette), Distrib. Java. 
Native names: Sendudok; The Singapore Rhododendron. Use: 
Fruit for thrush in children. A decoction of the branches as an 
astringent in diarrhoea. Roots as a mouth-wash for toothache. 
This chiefly differs from M. malabathricum L. in the absence of the large 
bracts in that species. 
var. angustifolia Ridl. A variety with very narrow linear acute leaves, 
was collected on the Tahan River by Seimund. 
(7) M. normale Don, Prod. FI. Nep. 220; Clarke, l.c. ii. 524. 
M. malabathricum var. normale King, l.c. 7. 
Shrub 12 ft. tall. Branchlets and ribs of leaves covered with 
lanceolate scales. Leaves lanceolate acute, base shortly narrowed 
rounded, densely velvety with fine hairs except the nerves beneath 
3 in. long, 1 to 1-25 in. wide; petioles -3 in. long. Corymbs of 
4 to 5 flowers. Bracts linear *2 in. long. Calyx urceolate densely 
covered with linear acuminate narrow, ciliate scales, lobes linear- 
acuminate, *3 in. long, as long as the tube, hairy on both sides. 
Petals 1 in. long, dark pink, edges ciliate. Stamens -75 in. long. 
Hab. Mountains 3000 to 6000 ft. altitude. Perak, Gunong Batu 
Putih at 6700 ft. altitude (Wray); Gunong Kerbau 6000 ft. altitude 
(Robinson). Distrib. Nepal. 
var. glabrescens. 
Leaves almost glabrous above. Pahang, Telom. Selangor, 
Bukit Hitam. Perak, Gunong Keledang (a sub-variety with scales 
on calyx red strongly ciliate) (Ridley). 
(8) M. imbricatum Wall. Cat. 4047; King, l.c. 5. 
Large spreading shrub 5 to 15 ft. tall, covered with short blunt 
scales. Leaves ovate to oblong sub-acute, base shortly cuneate, 
