Allomorphia bullata

Family

Melastomataceae

Synonyms

Allomorphia malaccensis Ridley, Allomorphia magnifica (Miq.) Guill., Oxyspora bullata (Griffith) J.F. Maxwell.

Vernacular Names

Geographical Distributions

Allomorphia consists of approximately 20 species, and occurs in tropical Asia: Indo-China, southern China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and northern Borneo. Indo-China, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia are richest in species, each with about 5-7 species.

Description

Allomorphia bullata is a half-shrub or shrub that can grow up to 180 cm tall. The branches are obtusely quadrangular.

The leaves are egg-shaped or egg-shaped-oblong which size up to 25 cm x 15 cm.

It has large inflorescence with many flowers. The sepal tube is urn-shaped, as well as its fruit.

Ecology / Cultivation

Allomorphia occurs particularly in the undergrowth of lowland forest, sometimes also in abandoned plantations near the forest. The species treated here is locally common in lowland forest in Peninsular Malaysia.

Line Drawing / Photograph

References

1. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(3): Medicinal and poisonous plants 3.