Medinilla crassifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Medinilla crassifolia (Blume) Blume

Family: Melastomataceae

Synonyms

• Medinilla hasseltii Blume.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: bongkol, harendong mangandeuh (West Java)
• Malaysia: lokan jantan.

Distribution

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines.

Uses

The sour leaves and fruits are eaten.

Observations

• Exceedingly variable epiphytic shrub, up to 1 m tall, climbing or scrambling.
• Leaves opposite, glabrous; petiole up to 2 cm long; leaf-blade very variable, ovate-oblong to lanceolate, 8-19 cm × 3-8 cm, coriaceous.
• Fruit a globose berry, 4-6 mm in diameter, orange to red.

Mostly in peat swamp and secondary forest, or disturbed situations at low altitudes, but up to 1000 m.

Selected sources

7, 20, 42, 75.