Melastoma saigonense (Kuntze) Merr.
Plate legend: A. habit; B. longitudinal section through the hypanthium; C. petal; D. larger outer and smaller inner stamen; E. intersepalar emergence; F. fruit.
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Table of contents
1. Protologue
Melastoma saigonense (Kuntze) Merr., J. Arnold Arbor. 29 (1948): 212. - Osbeckia saigonensis Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1 (1891): 247. - Type: Kuntze 3962, Vietnam, Saigon, 3. Mar 1875 (K!).
Ex affinitata O. asperae inter O. rubicundam et O. leschenaultianam ponenda foliis acutis utrinque molliter tomentosis, calycis pilis ochraceis vago stellaribus.
Saigon. Auch von Godefroy Leboeuf dort gesammelt.
Von allen den vielen Formen der aspera-Gruppe, die manche zu einem grösseren Formenkreis vereinigen, durch Blätter mit oberseits weichhaarigem Filz verschieden; am nächsten ist O. rubicunda, welche aber stumpfliche, rauhe Blätter hat.
2. Synonyms
- Melastoma villosum Sims non Aubl., Bot. Mag. 54 (1824): t. 2630. - Pleroma villosum DC., Prodr. 3 (1828): 152. - Alosemia villosa Raf., Sylva Tellur. 96 (1838). - Dissotis villosa Triana, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 28 (1871): 57.
3. Vernacular names
Ti Tang (Moi, Thailand), Khlong-Khleng, Eng-Aai (Thailand), Mo Kri, Bani Hou, Mong Kre, Pean Ga Ley, Bai Nguanh (Khmer, Cambodia), Cay Mua (Vietnam).
4. Description
Shrub up to 3 m high; young branches subterete to subquadrangular, covered with flexuose or spreading brown bristles, bark brown to grey; old branches terete, glabrescent. Leaves ovate to elliptic, sometimes lanceolate, 2.3--7.6 x 0.9--3.9 cm, base rounded to obtuse, seldom slightly cordate, apex acute, lamina subvillous above, subvillous to villous beneath; nerves 5 or 7, beneath densely covered with semi-erect to erect bristles; petiole 7--12 mm long. Inflorescence a terminal or apical axillary cyme of 1--3 flowers. Flowers 5-merous; bracts ovate-acuminate, 3--5 x 2--3 mm, on both sides covered with brown bristles. Hypanthium campanulate, 5--15 x 5--14 mm, densely covered with golden-red, erect, stellate emergences, their stalk c. 3--5 mm long, their bristles c. 3 mm long; sepals triangular, 6--9 x 3--4 mm, on the outside covered with 1--2 mm long bristles, inside glabrous; intersepalar emergences the same as on the hypanthium. Petals obovate, c. 25 x 22 mm, ciliate at the apex, bright purple. Stamens dimorphic; longer outer stamens with 11--13 mm long, pink anthers and 8--14 mm long, yellow filaments, connectives 10--13 mm long, ventrally curved and with two 2--3 mm long ventral appendages at the base; shorter inner stamens yellow, with 9--10 mm long dorsally curved anthers and 9--12 mm long filaments, connective not prolonged but with two 1.2--2 mm long ventral appendages. Ovary ovoid, half as long as the hypanthium, crowned by golden bristles; style 15--20 mm long. Fruit a campanulate, fleshy capsule, 8--12 x 8--13 mm, rupturing irregularly longitudinal at maturity.
5. Distribution, ecology and notes
Distribution - Cochinchina: Southeast and East Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and South Vietnam.
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Ecology - Collections: 81. On dry or swampy ground in open places, light forests, scrubs or grasslands, from sea level to up to 600 m altitude.
Uses - The fruits are edible, as are all Melastoma fruits. The young leaves and roots are used medicinal (in an unspecified way; Nui Noc 261).
Notes - This species can easily be identified by its stellate hypanthium emergences and the villous, ovate to elliptic leaves. It seems to be close to M. beccarianum.
6. Collections
CAMBODIA
- Bejaud 31, Foret de Srakomoure, Kp. Loai: Kp. Fhorn, Bampi (P, HM)
- Chevalier 31983, Dursat (P)
- Chevalier 36961, prey Phnom, Kraing Phdey Meas, Saigon (P)
- Couderc s.n., Mar du Pursat (HM)
- Godefroy 229, Phu Guoc (P)
- Guinet 103, Bay Kranhengh (Bay Nienh) (P)
- Martin 57, Kp. Luong (P)
- Martin 498, Tatey (Koh Kong) (P)
- Martin 1072, Prolien (Koh Kong) (C, P)
- Poilane 14588, sud Phn. Changor, Kompong Speu (C, P, HM)
- Poilane 15307, entre La Khang Choeung et Po Bong, Srê Umbel (C, P, HM)
- Poilane 27323, Kadak à 21 km de Kampot sur la route de Réam (C, P)
- Thiv s.n., Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Apr 1998 (MJG)
- Vidal 5050, vers Kirirom, Kompong Speu (P, L)
LAOS
- Poilane 11973, km 20 route no. 10 pres de Savanakhet, Savannakhet (HM)
THAILAND
- Bunpheng 1120, Pong Nam Rawn, Tabsai, Chantaburi (BKF)
- Chaiklom 1 Thailand (BCU)
- Charoenphol 69, Dong Keng/Nong Daeng, Chaiyaphum (AAU, BKF)
- Fukuoka 35141, about 5 km west from Laem Sadet Khoong Kaben Bay, Chanthaburi, 0 m (BKF)
- Hancharigagol 2126289, Prachinburi, Prachinburi, 40 m (BCU)
- Jaravanich 15, Banpa, Rayong (BK)
- Jeppesen s.n., Chantaburi, Chantaburi (C)
- Jeppesen s.n., Chantaburi, Chantaburi (C)
- Kerr 6943, Laem Srij, Chanthaburi, 0 m (BK, K)
- Kerr 8246, Surin, Surin, 100 m (BK, E, K, C, P)
- Kerr 10028, Baw/Bo Rai, Trat, 50 m (BK, K)
- Kerr 17616, Dan Chumpon, Trat, 50 m (BK)
- Lakshnakara 445, Chantaburi, Chantaburi (BK)
- Lakshnakara 446, Chantaburi, Chanthaburi (BK)
- Larsen 1685, Makam plain, Chanthaburi, 0 m (AAU, C, P)
- Larsen 32207, Ban Thakien Thong, W of Khao Soi Dao, north of Chantaburi, Chanthaburi, 50 m (AAU, K, BKF)
- Marknoi 12 Thailand (BCU)
- Maxwell 71210, Sattahip Distr., Ban Salae, Chon Buri, 0 m (AAU, BK)
- Murata 17632, near Ban Saphan Hin, 60 km southeast from Trat, Trat, 0 m (AAU, K, BKF)
- Murata 49713, en route from Si Saket City to Kantharalak, about 10 km from Kantharalak, Si Sa Ket, 130 m (AAU, BKF)
- Nui Noc 261, Ban Chum seng, Nakhon Nayok (BK)
- Paisooksantivatana y 94182, 10 km from Ban Prikhla to Chumponburi, Surin (BK)
- Paisooksantivatana y 120182, Amper Muang, Tung Ta Node, Rayong,, 0 m (BK)
- Phenghklai 3327, Buriram, Buri Ram, 150 m (BKF, PSU)
- Phenghklai 3709, Prachinburi, Prachin Buri, 20 m (BKF, PSU)
- Phenghklai 3760, Phea, Rayong, 10 m (BKF, PSU)
- Put 2930, Khao Kuap, Trat (BK)
- S. 2040, Bagantakarm, Prachinburi (BK)
- Sangkhachand 217, Kantralak Distr., Si Sa Ket (BK)
- Sangkhachand 249, Makham, Chanthaburi, 130 m (BKF, C)
- Schmidt s.n., Koh Chang, Trat (C)
- Seidenfaden 2709, west of Kao Sabab, Chantaburi, 11 m (C)
- Shimizu 23305, Phae Arboretum, Phae district, Rayong (BKF)
- Shimizu 23337, Phae Arboretum, Phae district, Rayong (BKF, KYO)
- Siridith 11, Chantaburi, Chantaburi (BCU)
- Smitinand 228, Klong Yai, Trat, 5 m (BKF, P)
- Smitinand 3812, Pong Nam Rawn, Map Khla, Chanthaburi, 100 m (BKF)
- Smitinand 3917, Pong Nam Rawn, Mapkhla, Chantaburi, 100 m (C, BKF)
- Sørensen 141, Makam plain, near Chantaburi, Chantaburi, 75 m (C)
- Sørensen 7209, Makam plain, near Chantaburi, Chantaburi, 75 m (C)
- Sutheesorn 304, Chantaburi, Chantaburi (BK)
- Sutheesorn 1944, Amphoe Khlung, Chantaburi (BK)
- Sutheesorn 5336, Suran napoom, Roi Et (BK)
- Thaithong 25, Pone-thong, Kalasin, 80 m (BCU)
- Thaithong 670, Pae, Rayong, 0 m (BCU)
- Vanpruk 915 (BKF)
- Vesterdal 12-Z, Chantabun, Chantaburi (C)
- Yingyong 2 (BCU)
VIETNAM
- Abbe 9498, route LT 2, ca. 13 km north of Ba Ria, Phuoc Tuy, 60 m (BKF)
- Bois 2182, Ong-iem (Cochinchine) (P, HM)
- Fleury 30210, FR de Chon Thanh, prov. Thu Dau Mot, Thu Dau Mot (C, P)
- Ha Tue 486, Di Linh, Lam Dong (HN)
- Ha Tue 556, Loc Tan, Bao Loc, Lam Dong (HN)
- Kuntze 3962, Hinterindien, Saigon (K)
- Lefèvre 271, Plaine des Lombeame pres Saigon, Saigon (P)
- Lefèvre 513, Buissons de la plaine des Lombeame pres Saigon, Saigon (P)
- Poilane 1, Arboretum de Trangbom, Bien Hoa (HM)
- Poilane 4987, M’Drack, Ninh Hoa, 400 m (P)
- Poilane 6739, Annam: massif de la mere et l’enfant pres Nha Trang, Nha Trang, 600 m (C, P, HM)
- Poilane 40908, Cochinchine: Tram Bon, Bien Hoa (C, P, HM)
- Poilane CH 204, Arboretum de Trang Bôm, Province Biên Hoa, Biên Hoa (C, P)
- Robinson 1358, Nha Trang and vicinity, Nha Trang (P)
- Squires 831, Dalat and vicinity, southern Anam (SING, BM, P)
- Tan 42, Dak Nong, Quang Phu (HN)
- Thorel 29, Saigon (P)
- Vinot 40, foret de Kae An, Bienhoa (P).
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