Osbeckia aspera
MELASTOMACEAE
Flowering & Fruiting: Aug – April
Habitat: Evergreen forests and grasslands, also in the plains
Distribution: Peninsular India & Sri Lanka
Description
Erect shrubs; branchlets more or less pubescent with appressed to spreading hairs. Leaves simple, opposite, 3.5-9 x 1.5-3.2 cm, elliptic-lanceolate, acute to shortly acuminate at apex, base attenuate, basally 5-ribbed, more or less pubescent with appressed short hairs on both sides, drying yellowish-green; petiole to 1 cm long. Flowers ca 2 cm across, in terminal cymes, sometimes elongated clusters, pentamerous. Calyx tube 6-8 mm long, ca 5 mm wide, cupular, with dense short bristle-like hairs; lobes 5, oblong, obtuse. Petals 5, pink, 1-1.5 x 0.8-1 cm, ovate, apex rounded. Stamens 10; anthers 5-6 mm long. Ovary hairy at apex; style exserted, 1.25-1.5 cm long; stigma curved, papillate. Capsules 0.8-1 x 0.6-0.7 cm, ovoid, ribbed; seeds many.
Citation
Osbeckia aspera (L.) Blume, Bijdr. Natuurk. Wetensch. 6: 220. 1831, var. aspera; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 519. 1879, p.p’; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 492(347). 1919; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 186. 1984; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 110. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 166. 1989; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 203. 1990; M. Mohanan& Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 198. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 142. 1995; Sasidh. et al., Bot. Stud. Med. Pl. Kerala 24. 1996; Sasidh. &Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 189. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 143. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 127. 2002; Mohanan&Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 278. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 222. 2005; Sunil &Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 296. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 372. 2009.
Melastoma asperum L., Sp. Pl. 389. 1753.
OsbeckiakleiniiWight &Arn., Prodr. 323. 1834; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 492(348). 1919.
OsbeckiacourtallensisGamble, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1918: 242. 1918 & Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 492(348). 1919.
OsbeckiakewensisC.E.C. Fisch., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1938: 34. 1938.
Osbeckialawsonii Gamble, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1918: 242. 1918 & Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 503(348). 1919; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 142. 1995.