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Memecylon paniculatum Jack.
| Family Name: | Melastomataceae |
| Synonyms: | Memecylon costatum Miq., Memecylon gigantifolium Elmer |
Memecylon paniculatum is a slender tree that grows between 10 - 30 m tall. This native tree has leaves with veins deeply sunken above, raised below and angled twigs at the tips of the branches. Flowers are funnel to cup-shaped, whitish-blue coloured, the round to oval fruit ripens from whitish to purple upon maturity.
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Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree (Small (6m-15m), Medium (16m-30m)) |
| Maximum Height | 30 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Southeast Asia |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a slender tree that can grow between 10 - 30 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are slightly leathery, smooth, lance to oval shaped, measuring at 8 - 26 cm long and 3.5 - 14 cm wide. The veins are deeply sunken on the upper surface, raised below, leaf base round to heart-shaped. The leaves have short leaf stalks of up to 3mm long, branchlets or twigs are distinctively winged or 4-angled at the tips. |
| Flowers | Flowers are held on an inflorescence, up to 4 cm long produced behind the leaves. The flowers are whitish-blue, funnel to cup-shaped, smooth and hairless on the outside, ridged inside. |
| Fruit | The fruit is round to oval shaped, single-seeded, whitish turned purple upon maturity, measuring 6 - 8 mm wide. |
| Habitat | Occurs in forest types such as Hill Dipterocarp, Lowland Dipterocarp and Lowland Mixed Dipterocarp Forest, sometimes by the streams or on ridges, up to 1200 m altitude. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Slow |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate, Ovate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate |
| Foliar Base | Rounded / Obtuse, Cordate |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Non Palm) | Woody |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground (Tap Root) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers , Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Blue, White |
|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Individual Flower Shape | Funnelform / Funnel-shaped |
| Inflorescence Type | Cyme |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Purple |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Fleshy Fruit , Berry |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | Hughes, M. (2013). Memecylaceae. In Flora of Peninsular Malaysia, ser. 2 Seed Plants, (eds Kiew, R., Chung, R.C.K., Saw, L.G., Soepadmo, E.), vol. 4. Selangor: Forest Research Institute Malaysia. |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 34000 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 8416 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
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