Melastoma imbricatum
Family: Melastomataceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 1-5 m tall. The stems are 4 sided. There are many branches with dense hairs. The leaves are broadly oval and 8-21 cm long by 6-14 cm wide. They are hairy especially underneath. There are about 12 flowers in a group at the ends of the branches. There are 2 leaf like bracts at the base. The petals are pink to red. The fruit are round or urn shaped and 1.3 cm long by 0.9 cm wide.
There are about 90 Melastoma species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in dense broad-leaved forests and most places between 100-1,500 m above sea level in southern China.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Indochina, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds
How it is grown
In China plants flower in June to July and fruit February to March.