Melastoma malabathricum L.

 

Family: Melastomataceae

Synonym: Melastoma malabathricum var. polyanthum Benth. 

Vernacular name: Athirani,Kadali,Kalampotti,Kalathi,Thodukkara

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Grasslands, scrub jungles, thickets, open forests, bamboo forests, trailsides

Distribution:  South and South East Asia East Asia to Western Australia

Flowering and Fruiting: February-August

Key identification features: It is a shrub with with stems are densely covered with paleaceous pectinate hairs. The leaves are elliptic-oblong. The flowers of this shrub are either solitary or occur in dense clusters. The petals are reddish-purple. The stamens are number 10, with alternating large and small ones. Fruit is capsules and is long, ovoid in shape.

Uses: The young shoots are eaten as a fresh or cooked vegetable. The fruit yields a black or purple dye. The ashes from the plant can be used as a mordant.