Bogitenga
Medinilla rubicunda
Family: Melastomataceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It can grow 5 m tall. It can grow attached to other plants. It has many branches. The stems are light brown and slightly succulent. They are 4 angled. The bark is corky and wrinkled. The leaves are narrowly oval and 5-14 cm long by 3-7 cm wide. They can be lumpy underneath. There are 3-5 flowers in a group usually in the axils of leaves. The petals are pink. The fruit is a berry and it can be oval or urn shaped. It is 9-11 mm long by 7-8 mm wide.
There are about 400 Medinilla species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in mixed forests and along river banks between 800-1,800 m above sea level in southern China. In Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Thailand, Tibet
How it is used for food
The leaves are eaten cooked.
Edible parts
Leaves, fruit
How it is grown
In China plants flower in August to September and fruit October to March.