Melastoma sanguineum aka Red Melastome

Melastoma sanguineum is a shrub that stays green all year. It belongs to the Melastomataceae family. It can also grow as a small tree. Its home range spans southeastern China through Malesia. Records list Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia. They also list Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Kew places it in the wet tropical biome. It grows in woods that people or other forces have disturbed. It also grows by streams, along roads, and on open ground. It occurs in savannah too. Records reach heights above sea level of about 7,546 feet [2,300 metres].

Most plants stand about 5–16 feet [1.5–5 metres] tall. Some reach about 33 feet [10 metres]. Useful Tropical Plants also lists 20 feet [6 metres]. The plant keeps its leaves all year. The sources give few facts about its bark or leaves. Insects pollinate the flowers, but the sources give no bloom season. The fruit is a fleshy capsule with firm yellow pulp. Each capsule holds tiny orange seeds. The capsules measure about 0.3–0.7 inches across.

Gardeners grow it as a shrub or tree for its looks. Its spread beyond its home range calls for care. In Hawaii, it has become invasive and can spread fast. It can form dense stands with few other plants. These stands grow in grassland, open ground, and scrub. They also grow in native forest. This record matters when judging its worth in a garden. The evidence gives no firm guide to its frost tolerance. Nor does it give water, soil, or light needs for grown plants.

Fresh seed offers a way to grow new plants. Useful Tropical Plants says to sow seeds soon after gathering them. The small seeds can go in a nursery seedbed or containers. The source reports that seeds sprout best in sun or light shade. In trials, seeds sprouted after 25–50 days. These results apply to seedlings, not grown plants’ light needs.

People gather wild plants for use in local folk medicine. Remedies use roots, leaves, flowering tops, and berries as astringents. Folk uses include treating diarrhoea, dysentery, and vaginal discharge. People also use these remedies to wash cuts and wounds. They have used roots for dizziness and poor health in general. These folk uses do not prove that treatment is safe. Food use for this species remains unclear. The source lists no known hazards, but this does not prove safety.