140 Melastoma 
MELASTOMATACEAE 
Shrubs or small trees, evergreen. Leaves simple, entire, usually opposite. Inflorescences cymose, 
often reduced. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, 4-5-merous. Hypanthium well developed. 
Sepals and petals free on hypanthium; petals often showy. Stamens usually twice the number of 
petals, uni- or dimorphic; anthers with terminal pores or slits, often with apical or basal appendages. 
Ovary usually inferior, 1-5-locular; ovules few to numerous, placentation various; style and stigma 
simple. Fruit a capsule or berry. Seeds 1-numerous. 
A pantropical family of c. 250 genera and over 4500 species. Represented in Australia by 7 genera and 
10 species. Four genera in the NT with 3 in the DR. [Whiffin, 1990]. 
[Pee eavestl -nervedselabrouSpeccctrcetinteriise ti itcteerrtirserreerccsrsrsvessesetereensersrtectettecertetert Memecylon 
1. Leaves 3-7-nerved, hairy or bristly 2 
'2. Leaves 2-13 mm wide; tertiary veins not conspicuous, parallel; 
ATIChErsASOMOLDNICAITUIL CAPSL laleeesntetterreeetetereertrtecretereeesstorenttrsreertersarsesteerersemeattactrrse Osbeckia 
2. Leaves 10-75 mm wide; tertiary veins conspicuous, parallel; 
anthers dimorphic; fruit fleshy, indehiscent ............scsssssescescseeceseeeeseseesesceeeseeeesseeeaseeeee Melastoma 
MELASTOMA L. 
A genus of 70-100 species; from India, China and SE Asia through to Australia and the Pacific Islands. One 
species recognised in Australia. 
M. affine D.Don 
Shrub to 3 m. Stems, petioles, leaf veins and 
inflorescence densely covered with erect, stiff, 
laciniate scales. Petiole 10-14 mm long. Leaf blades 
with 3-5 longitudinal nerves and conspicuous 
parallel cross veins, elliptic to ovate, 40-130 mm 
long, 10-75 mm wide, L/W c. 1.6; hispid with + 
swollen, decurrent based hairs with patent tips. 
Inflorescence terminal or subterminal, cymose, 
c. 7-flowered. Bracts and bracteoles present, 
caducous. Hypanthium 5-7 mm long. Calyx lobes 5, 
caducous, alternating with denticles. Petals 5, 
obovate, purple to mauve, to 20 mm long. Stamens 
usually 10, dimorphic; larger stamens with basally 
prolonged connective and bilobed appendage at apex 
of filament; smaller stamens not or little prolonged 
with a small appendage; anthers with a terminal 
pore. Ovary usually 5-locular; ovules numerous on 
axile placentas. Fruit subfleshy, indehiscent, 
urceolate, to 10 mm long. Flowering and fruiting: all 
year. Fig. 44 
From India, SE Asia through to New Guinea, 
northern Australia and southwards to coastal NSW. 
Common in the DR in perennially moist sites often 
on rainforest margins. The fresh flower buds are 
eaten (G. Wightman, pers. comm.). 
MEMECYLON L. 
A genus of 200-300 species; throughout the Old World tropics with 3 species in Australia, 2 of which occur 
in the NT but with 1 in the DR. 
M. pauciflorum Blume 
Shrub or small tree to 5 m, glabrous. Bark grey to 
brown, rough, fissured. Branchlets finely ribbed. 
Leaves shortly petiolate; blades discolourous, 
elliptic to obovate, 24-70 mm long, 10-30 mm wide, 
L/W 1.75-3, + coriaceous, lateral veins obscure, 
