Melastoma

views updated

Melastoma (family Melastomataceae) A genus of shrubs in which the leaves have 3 main nerves. The flowers are showy, mauve, pentamerous, with 5 big and 5 small stamens. The fruits are fleshy capsules. M. malabathricum, a weedy shrub, is the straits rhododendron. There are about 70 species, occurring from southern China to the Pacific islands.

More From encyclopedia.com