Melastoma malabathricum
Indian rhododendron
Melastoma malabathricum, commonly known as the Malabar Melastome, is a versatile medicinal shrub native to tropical regions. Renowned for its therapeutic properties, this plant is frequently utilized in traditional medicine to treat skin ailments, inflammation, and digestive issues, offering a natural remedy rooted in deep ethnobotanical heritage and biodiversity.
- Scientific name: Melastoma malabathricum
- Family: Melastomataceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Myrtales, it is classified under the family Melastomataceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Melastoma.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Myrtales | WCVP |
| Family | Melastomataceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Melastoma | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Melastomastrum malabathricum, is recognized by various regional names across different languages. In Thailand, it is known as โคลงเคลง, while in Russia, it is referred to as Меластома малабарская. In Vietnam, the species is called Mua đa hùng, and in the Malayalam language spoken in India, it is known as കലദി. Additionally, in Persian, the name is written as ملاستوما مالاباتریکام.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| th | โคลงเคลง | Wikidata |
| ru | Меластома малабарская | Wikidata |
| vi | Mua đa hùng | Wikidata |
| ml | കലദി | Wikidata |
| fa | ملاستوما مالاباتریکام | Wikidata |
| bn | দাঁতরাঙা | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 基尖葉野牡丹 | Wikidata |
| zh | 野牡丹 | Wikidata |
| yue | 野牡丹 | Wikidata |
| mnw | ကောန်မှေအ်၊ တၞံ | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across both the Indian Ocean and East Asia. Within the Western Indian Ocean region, its presence is documented in Mauritius, Madagascar, and the Seychelles. Moving toward the Asian continent, the species can be found in South-Central China. Additionally, its range extends to the tropical island province of Hainan. These varied locations highlight the plant's ability to inhabit different ecological zones across these distinct territories.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Western Indian Ocean | Mauritius | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Madagascar | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Kazan-retto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Melastomastrum malabathricum, is characterized by its distinct leaves, which play a crucial role in its biological functions and medicinal properties. The leaves are typically arranged in an opposite pattern along the stem and feature prominent longitudinal veins that are characteristic of the Melastomataceae family. These leaves serve as the primary site for photosynthesis and are often the parts most frequently utilized in traditional herbal preparations to harness their therapeutic potential.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Melastoma malabathricum has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include antioxidant activity, flavonoids, methanol, quercitrin.
- Total chemicals
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antioxidant activity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| quercitrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Melastoma malabathricum has 2 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Melastoma malabathricum has 9 reported medicinal uses identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Escherichia coli, HBsAg, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, arthritis.
- Total uses
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HBsAg | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Streptococcus agalactiae | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arthritis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| blood clotting | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| nosocomial infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| opportunistic infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| osteosarcoma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |