Common name: blue tongue, native lasiandra
Melastoma affine D.Don APNI* Synonyms: Melastoma denticulatum Labill. APNI*
Melastoma malabathricum L. subsp. malabathricum APNI*
Description: Shrub to 2 m high.
Leaves ovate, 6–12 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, discolorous, covered with short, stiff hairs; main veins 3, and 2 less conspicuous intramarginal veins; petiole up to 10 mm long.
Inflorescences short, terminal, of 5–11 subsessile flowers. Hypanthium cup-shaped, 7–10 mm long. Sepals 5, c. 4 mm long. Petals 5, circular, purple to mauve or rarely white, up to 20 mm long. Anthers curved, the longer with prominent appendages, the shorter with smaller appendages.
Fruit semi-succulent, ± globose, c. 8 mm long.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in sclerophyll forest with high soil moisture or swamps on sandy soil; north from Kempsey.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. N.T.
Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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