Tibouchina heteromalla

Tibouchina heteromalla, known by the common name silverleafed princess flower[4] in English is a species of evergreen flowering plant in the genus Tibouchina of the family Melastomataceae. It is native to Brazil.[5]

Tibouchina heteromalla
at Universidade de Brasília, Brazil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Melastomataceae
Genus: Tibouchina
Species:
T. heteromalla
Binomial name
Tibouchina heteromalla
Synonyms[1][2][3]

Lasiandra macrophylla
Melastoma heteromallum
Tibouchina grandifolia

Description

Tibouchina heteromalla reaches an average height of 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 m), with a maximum of about 8–10 feet (2.4–3.0 m) in its native habitat. The branching stem is woody and the large, silvery green leaves are simple, ovate, velvety in texture, and oppositely arranged. The inflorescence is a panicle of several purple flowers with five petals. The plant has 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) long leaves, with prominent veins that are puffed up in the middle and old leaves will often turn a beautiful orange color just prior to dropping off. [6]

Cultivation

The plant is cultivated as an ornamental for its showy foliage and purple flowers. It is sensitive to cold but can tolerate a light frost.

  • Habit
  • Inflorescence
  • Flower
  • Foliage

Notes
  1. Catalogue of Life
  2. Melastomataceae.net
  3. Kartuz: Tibouchina grandifolia
  4. "Tibouchina heteromalla". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  5. "Tibouchina heteromalla". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  6. "Tibouchina heteromalla, Silver leafed Princess Flower, Shrub, [Tibouchina grandifolia, Hort]". Plant Information. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
gollark: Is there a back door/window on the ground floor?
gollark: No, that would probably be too dangerous... does heavpoot have the door open?
gollark: Ah. Hmm.
gollark: There IS a back window/door, right?
gollark: I open the back window/door and flee through it, d6.

References
  • Porembski, S., et al. (1998). Diversity and ecology of saxicolous vegetation mats on inselbergs in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Diversity and Distributions 4(3) 107–19.
  • Renner, S. S. (1989). A survey of reproductive biology in neotropical Melastomataceae and Memecylaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden.


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