Melastoma crinitum Naudin
Table of contents
1. Protologue
Melastoma crinitum Naudin, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot., Ser. 3, 13 (1850): 280. - Type: Cuming 853, Philippines, Luzon, Albay,1841 (BM!, K!, P!).
Shrubby, all tender parts very hairy. Leaves petioled, lanceolate, from three to five nerved, entire. Panicles terminal; flowers octandrous, border of the calyx eight-parted; segments ensiform, four of them minute, all ciliate.
A native of the most moist, and shaded parts of the rocky coast of Chittagong where it blossoms in April and May. It is remarkable for its great quantity of long, distinct, appressed, pale coloured hair, and large beautiful red flowers.
2. Synonyms
- Melastoma penicillatum Naudin, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot., Ser. 3, 13 (1850): 280. - Type: Cuming 1747, Philippines, Leyte, 1841 (BM!, K!, P!).
- Melastoma barbeyanum Cogn., Monogr. Phan. 7 (1891): 347. - Melastoma rufosetosum Bakh. f., Meded. Bot. Mus. Herb. Rijks Univ. Utrecht 91 (1943): 97. - Type: Zollinger 3223, Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat/ Rindjarie, Java, Indonesia, 2100 m, 8 Aug 1846 (L!).
- Melastoma setosum Elmer, Leafl. Philipp. Bot. 8 (1915): 2758. - Type: Elmer 14168, Philippines, Mindanao, Agusan, Cadabaran (Mt. Urdaneta), Oct 1912 (C!, K!, L!, MO, P!).
- Melastoma molle Wall. ex Ridl., J. Malayan Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc. 1 (1922): 60. - Type: Wallich 4046, Singapore, 1822 (K!).
3. Vernacular names
Kaum sendudok, Sendudok gajah (Malaysia).
4. Description
Shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall; young branches quadrangular, covered with erect bristles c. 2--3 mm long, bark grey-brown; old branches terete, glabrescent. Leaves elliptic or ovate, 10--21 x 4.5--9 cm, base acute to rounded, apex acuminate; lamina on both sides covered with spreading bristles or sometimes strigose, bristle bases branched; nerves 5 or 7, covered with long spreading bristles; petiole 8--35 mm long. Inflorescences dense terminal 3--11-flowered cymes. Flowers 5-merous; bracts lanceolate, 5--12 x 2--4(--7) mm; outside covered with long bristles, inside glabrous. Hypanthium campanulate, 9--11 x 6--9 mm, covered with spreading bristles 4.5--7 mm long; sepals narrowly triangular, 8.5--10 x 2--4 mm, outside covered with bristles up to 5 mm, inside glabrous; intersepalar emergences not distinguishable from hypanthium bristles. Petals obovate-cuneate, 16--20(--34) x 11--16(--30) mm, ciliate at the apex, violet. Stamens dimorphic; anthers of longer outer stamens 8--9(--10.5) mm long, violet, connectives 7--8 mm long, ventrally curved, with 2 ventral appendages c. 2 mm long, filaments 7--8 mm long; anthers of shorter inner stamens 7--8(--9) mm long, yellow, connectives not prolonged, with 2 ventral appendages c. 0.8 mm long, filaments 4.5--5.5 mm long. Ovary shorter than the hypanthium, crowned by golden bristles. Fruit a campanulate fleshy capsule, 9--12 x 7--10 mm, rupturing irregularly longitudinally at maturity, exposing the solid, orange placenta.
5. Distribution, ecology and notes
Distribution - Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines.
Click to get a larger map. Map made with Online Map Creation.
Ecology - Collections: 32. In primary and secondary forests or along river-banks at altitudes of up to 2400 m.
Notes - The bristles on the leaf surfaces contain crystalliferous cells, which make it relatively easy to see that their bases typically are branched. Melastoma crinitum is similar to M. sanguineum - and has sometimes been synonymized with that species - but the two can clearly be separated by the branched bristle bases and the spreading bristles on the leaf surfaces. The leaves of M. crinitum are also larger than those of M. sanguineum.
6. Collections
INDONESIA
- Bloembergen 3904, p.a. Paloe, ten Oosten van het Lindoe-meer, Westhelling G. Ngilalaki, Menado, Sulawesi Utara, 1600 m (L)
- Jacobs 4384, Central Sumatra, south slope of Mt. Kerintji, path from ”Kaju Aro” towards the top, Sumatera Barat, 2100 m (L)
- Schmutz 3423, summit of Mt. Mondusawu, Flores, Nusa Tenggara Timur, 2400 m (L)
- Wiriadinata 541, Alur batu Tajam, B. Lawang, Bohorok, North Sumatra, 100 m (P, L)
- Zollinger 3223, Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat (L)
MALAYSIA
- Awa S 50510, route to Bt. Lawi, Bario, 4th Division, Sarawak, 1400 m (SAR ,AAU, C, K, L, KEP, SAN)
- Everett FRI 14056, Ulu Sg. Segamat due south. of G. Pukin, Labis Forest Reserve, Johore, 420 m (KEP, L)
- Hansen 235, Gunong Mulu National Park, Camp east of Melinau Gorge, south of camp, Sarawak, 375 m (SAR, C)
- Kamarudin FRI 28382, Lesong Forest Reserve, Pahang (KEP)
- Mahamud FMS 14962, G. Lesong, Pahang (SING)
- Meyer 9535, Kinabalu National Park, Liwagu River Trail, Sabah, 1700 m (KEP)
- Paie S 40878, Bt. Sampandaai, Ulu Sampurau, Melinau, Kapit, 7th Div., Sarawak, 1600 m (SAN, SAR, UA, C, L, K)
- Shah MS 1714, Labis Forest Reserve, Bekok, Johore, 30 m (SING, C, L)
- Nechil, Johore (SING, L)
- Whitmore FRI 3642, Southeast Pahang, Aur Forest Reserve, reserve compt 34, low undulating country, Pahang (SING, KEP, L)
- Whitmore FRI 8759, North Johore northwest G. Blumut Upper Camp, Johore, 420 m (KEP, L)
- Whitmore FRI 15997, Lesong Forest Reserve, near Sg. Jekatih, Pahang (KEP, L)
PHILIPPINES
- Cuming 853, Albay, Luzon (K, BM, GOET)
- Cuming 1747, Leyte (K, BM, P)
- Elmer 7453, Lucban, Quezon, Luzon (L)
- Elmer 11434, Todaya (Mt. Apo), Davao, Mindanao (MO)
- Elmer 14168, Cadabaran (Mt. Urdaneta), Agusan, Mindanao (K, C, P, L, MO)
- Elmer 16479, Irosin (Mt. Bulusan), Sorsogon, Luzon (C, BM, P, L, MO)
- Frohne PNH 35093, Tacloban, Leyte (L)
- Mendoza PNH 41846, Tuñgao So., San Mateo Bo., Butuan, Mindanao, Agusan, 250 m (SING, SAN, PNH, L)
- Mendoza PNH 97516, Liwang, Poitan, Banaue, Ifugao, 500 m (L)
- Ramos 1588, Camarines, Luzon (L, BM)
- Ramos BS 38481, Maluko and vicinity, Bukidnon subprov., Bukidnon , Mindanao (K, P, L)
- Ramos BS 38866, Mt. Candoon, Bukidnon, Mindanao (P)
- Ramos BS 42248, Mt. Lumutan, Rizal, Luzon (C, BRIT)
- Sandermann Olsen 984, St. Crus Island, Sapamoro, 70 km northeast of Zamboango, Zamboango del Sur, Mindanao, 300 m (C, L)
- Wenzel 871, Leyte (MO)
SINGAPORE
- Wallich 4046, Singapore (K)
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