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Useful Tropical Plants

Melastoma dodecandrum

Lour.

Melastomataceae

+ Synonyms

Asterostoma repens (Desr.) Blume

Melastoma octandrum L. ex Sm.

Melastoma repens Desr.

Melastoma roseum Poir.

Melastoma trungii Pócs & Tiep

Osbeckia repens (Desr.) DC.

Common Name:

Melastoma dodecandrum
Close-up of the flower
Photograph by: Doctoroftcm
Creative Commons License
Melastoma dodecandrum Melastoma dodecandrum Melastoma dodecandrum

General Information

Melastoma dodecandrum is a creeping, evergreen perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody. It can form a dense mat of growth, growing up to 30cm tall[
1031
Title
Revision of the Southeast Asian Genus Melastoma (Melastomataceae)
Publication
Blumea 46 pp 351 - 398
Author
Meyer K.
Publisher
 
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and possibly as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1031
Title
Revision of the Southeast Asian Genus Melastoma (Melastomataceae)
Publication
Blumea 46 pp 351 - 398
Author
Meyer K.
Publisher
 
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

E. Asia - southern China, northern Vietnam.

Habitat

Open, dry or wet grassland and scrub; at elevations up to 800 metres[
1031
Title
Revision of the Southeast Asian Genus Melastoma (Melastomataceae)
Publication
Blumea 46 pp 351 - 398
Author
Meyer K.
Publisher
 
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height0.20 m
PollinatorsBees
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

We have no specific information for this species, but the fruits of many species in the genus are eaten as a snack[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. They generally have a sweet flavour, but can be quite astringent, especially if not fully ripe[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. The fruit is a berry 3 - 7mm long and wide[
1031
Title
Revision of the Southeast Asian Genus Melastoma (Melastomataceae)
Publication
Blumea 46 pp 351 - 398
Author
Meyer K.
Publisher
 
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Medicinal

The roots, leaves, flowering tops or berries are astringent and are used in the treatment of conditions such as diarrhoea, leucorrhoea, and dysentery[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
785
Title
Medicinal Plants of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Publication
 
Author
Nguyen Van Duong
Publisher
Mekong Printing; Vietnam (Printers)
Year
1993
ISBN
0-9837303-1-2
Description
Published by the author, this is an excellent book on the medicinal attributes of plants growing in the area that used to be called Indo-China.
].
Externally, they can be used as a wash on cuts, wounds etc.

Melastoma species are rich in tannins of the hydrolysable type. Most of them are di- and trimers, with reported bactericidal and antiviral activities[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown fresh in a nursery seedbed, or in containers because of the small size of the seed. Germination is best in either full sun or in light shade[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-07. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Melastoma+dodecandrum>

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