Osbeckia chinensis
Family: Melastomataceae
What it is like
A small erect shrub. It grows 1 m tall. The stems are hairy and 4 sided. The leaves are broadly oval or sword shaped. They are 1.8-3.2 cm long by 0.8-1.2 cm wide. There are slight teeth along the edge. The leaf stalks are 1-2 mm long. The flowers have 5 petals. They are pink or pale purple. The fruit are 7 mm across and 6 mm long. They are purplish red.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. In Taiwan it grows in grassland and at the edges of forests from sea level to 1,600 m altitude. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Medicine