Melastoma

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Melastoma >

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Read about Melastoma in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Melastoma (Greek for black and mouth; said to allude to the color left in the mouth when the berries of some species are eaten). Melastomaceae. Woody greenhouse plants. This genus, which gives name to the great family Melastomaceae, with more than 2,000 species, is little known in cult. It is not the most important genus of the family, either horticulturally or in number of species. Cogniaux (DC. Monogr. Phaner. 7) admits 37 species. The larger part of melastomaceous plants are of Trop. Amer., but the true melastomas are natives to Trop. Asia, Austral, and Oceanica. They are shrubs or rarely small trees: lvs. opposite, petiolate, oblong or lanceolate, thick and entire, strongly nerved lengthwise, often handsomely colored: fls. solitary or fascicled on the ends of the branches, purple or rose (rarely white), large and showy; calyx mostly 5-lobed; petals usually 5 and often unequal, ciliate on the back; stamens 10 as a rule, very strongly unequal, part of them being short and small: fr. a leathery or fleshy berry, breaking irregularly, 5-7-loculed, with many small spiral seeds. Nearly all tropical melastomaceous plants require a high temperature, partial shade and considerable moisture. The melastomas are seldom seen in greenhouses, yet on account of the showy flowers of some of the species all representative collections of plants should have a few of them. The plants known under this name to gardeners are likely to belong in part to other genera (specially to Miconia) but they agree in cultural requirements. They are not difficult to grow, and a little effort bestowed on them will repay the grower when flowering time arrives. Cuttings may be secured from the half- ripened wood in spring. The best way is to place each one in a small pot, in equal parts of peat and sand. Plunge the pots in a bed with 70° to 75° of bottom heat, keeping them shaded from the sun. It is better to inclose them in a tight frame, or case, to avoid draughts. When rooted, place the plants in a greenhouse near to the glass, in a night temperature of 65°. When they become inured to their position, pinch the heart out of them to encourage breaks. Shift them along as they require it. The compost from now on should be equal parts of peat and loam, with about a third of sand, and a little broken charcoal also may be added. See that the receptacles are well drained, as when the plants are growing they require plenty of water, which should have a free outlet to prevent stagnation. If peat cannot be procured, they will do very well in a good fibrous loam to which a third of leaf-mold has been added.—The first season the aim should be to procure a well-shaped plant and this may be done by cutting back the strong shoots, allowing the weaker ones to grow longer to acquire strength. Keep them protected from the sun with a slight shade, such as cheese-cloth, to prevent the foliage from burning. In winter a somewhat lower temperature may be given and a rather dry atmosphere maintained. When the plants are established in their flowering pots, applications of weak liquid manure may be given once a week until they show flower.— In the growing period, occasional syringings with clean water may be made to the under side of the foliage to prevent red-spider. Other insect pests may be kept in check by fumigation with hydrocyanic gas, at the rate of one-half ounce to the 1,000 cubic feet. The atmosphere and plants should be on the dry side, and the temperature around 60° when the operation is performed.—Some of the species flower in winter. M. decemfidum is an example. Others flower in summer, among which may be mentioned M. corymbosum, M. denticulatum (see Miconia), and M. malabathricum. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

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