Melastoma velutinosum Ridl.
Table of contents
1. Protologue
Melastoma velutinosum Ridl., Kew Bulletin 1 (1925): 81. - Type: Brooks 7176, Indonesia. Sumatera Selatan, Bencoolen, Lubok Tandai, 420 m, May 1922 (K!).
Frutex ramis dense molliter hirsutis; foliis coriaceis superne dense velutino-hirtis, subtus parcius hirtis, nervis 5 densius et longius hirtis, ovatis vel oblongo-ovatis acutis, basibus rotundatis vel breviter angustatis, marginibus serratis, 4,5-8 cm longis, 2-3 cm latis, petiolis 4 mm longis dense hirtis; floribus 2-3 in axillis terminalibus, bracteis linearibus dense hirtis, pedicellis 4 mm longis, calyce ovoideo-globoso pilis longiusculis dense tecto, lobis linearibus hirtis 5 mm longis, petalis roseis obovatis unguiculatis 9 mm longis et aeque latis, apicibus parce hirtis, staminibus maioribus, filamentis 4 mm longis, antheris linearibus curvis acuminatis basibus obtusis connectivo elongatis, minoribus subsessilibus exappendiculatis paullo latioribus flavis.
Lubok Tandai, at 1400 ft., in secondary growth on clearings, flowers pink, Brooks 7176
2. Synonyms
- Melastoma sumatranum Bakh. f., Meded. Bot. Mus. Herb. Rijks Univ. Utrecht 91 (1943): 93. - Type: Posthumus 826, Indonesia, Sumatra, Djambi, Sei Karing, 180 m (L!).
- Melastoma aureum Bakh. f., Meded. Bot. Mus. Herb. Rijks Univ. Utrecht 91 (1943): 97. - Type: Bünnemeyer 3026, Indonesia, Sumatra, west coast, Bt. Tinggi, Mangani, afd. I Koto, 1.150 m, 15 Jun 1918 (L!).
3. Vernacular names
Kudak kudak/Kudok kudok (Sabah), Sikadoedoek (Sumatra).
4. Description
Shrubs or small trees up to 3(--10) m high; young branches subquadrangular, densely covered with erect or spreading bright brown bristles, bark brown; old branches terete, bark flaking off. Leaves elliptic to ovate, 7--14 x 4--6.5 cm, base acute to rounded, apex acuminate; lamina on both sides velvetly, olive; nerves 7, beneath covered with spreading light brown bristles; petiole 8--33 mm long, covered as the branches. Inflorescences 3--5-flowered terminal cymes. Flowers 5-merous; bracts ovate, small, c. 4--5 x 2--3 mm, outside hairy, inside glabrous. Hypanthium campanulate, 7--10 mx 7--9 mm, densely covered with long brown erect to spreading bristles 2.5--3.5 mm long; sepals narrowly lanceolate, 7--9 x 2.5--4 mm, both side hairy; intersepalar emergences long bristles c. 4 mm long. Petals obovate, 8--10(--17) x 6--7(--8) mm, ciliate at the apex. Stamens dimorphic; anthers of longer outer stamens 5.5--6.5 mm, violet, connectives c. 3 mm long, ventrally curved, with 2 ventral appendages c. 1 mm long, filaments c. 4.5 mm long; anthers of shorter inner stamens 4--5 mm long, yellow, connectives not prolonged, with 2 ventral appendages c. 0.5 mm long. Ovary shorter than the hypanthium, crowned by brown-golden bristles. Fruit a campanulate, fleshy capsule, 9--13 x 8--10 mm, mode of dehiscence unknown.
5. Distribution, ecology and notes
Distribution - Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Java, Sumatra), Malaysia (Perak, Sabah, Sarawak).
Click to see a larger map. Map made with Online Map Creation.
Ecology - Collections: 16. In primary forests in disturbed places or in secondary forests at altitudes below 1000 m.
Notes - Melastoma velutinosum can easily be recognized by its velvet leaves, the brown bristles on the branches and the relatively small flowers.
6. Collections
INDONESIA
- Brooks 7176, Bencoolen, Lubok Tandai, Sumatera Selatan, 420 m (K)
- Bünnemeyer 3201, Sumatra west coast, Brani, afd. Agam, 850 m (L)
- Bünnemeyer 3400, Sumatra west coast, S. A. Ramboetan, afd. L Kato, 950 m (L)
- Forbes 1142a, Southeast Java (BM)
- Janowsky 190, Lirino River, Irian Jaya, (L)
- Widjaja 1894, Suaka Margasatwa, Dolok Surungan, Ak. VIII/B 80, Sumatera Utara (L)
MALAYSIA
- Amin SAN 110510, Ulu Sg. Bidon, Ranau Distr., Sabah (SAR, SAN, K, L)
- Curtis 1298, Hermitage, Perak, 600 m (K)
- Everett FRI 13584, Taiping: 2.5 mile up road, road verge hill side, over acidic rock, Perak, 600 m (SING, KEP, L)
- Gibot SAN 99297, Ulu Sg. Tungud, Beluran Distr., Sabah (SAR, SAN, PSU, KEP, L)
- Hardial 269, Maxwell’s Hill, Perak (SING, L)
- Henderson 10086, Maxwell’s Hill, Taiping, Perak, 300 m (SING)
- Karim SAN 77960, Nabawan, Keningau Distr., Sabah (SAN, K)
- Meyer 9634, Taiping, Bt. Larut: ca. 5 mile Bt. Larut Road, Perak, 800 m
- Shah 1114, Maxwell’s Hill, 4th mile, Taiping, Perak, 600 m (SING, SAR, C, L)
- Yii S 40687, Semengoh Forest Reserve, Biological Centre, Kuching, 1st Div., Sarawak, 30 m (KEP, SAR, UA, K, L, C).
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