Miconia tomentosa

(L. C. Rich.) D. Don ex DC.

Tomentose maya

Melastomataceae Edible: Fruit 102 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by

Summary

Miconia tomentosa is a species of shrub or treelet in the family Melastomataceae. It is native to South America.

Description

A tree. It grows 13 m tall. The flowers are in groups 10-20 cm long. These are narrow and straight The fruit do not have stalks. The fruit are urn shaped berries. They are 1.1 cm long by 0.8 cm wide. They are light green but turn pink then dark blue. The pulp is edible.

Edible Uses

The fruit pulp is edible.

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the wood is used as an emetic. The leaves, either with or without the stem bark, are mixed in water and rubbed into the hair to treat dandruff and scalp itch.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in rainforest and in savanna.

Where It Grows

Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Mexico, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies,

Other Uses

A yellow dye can be made from the plant (part not specified). The colour can be varied by adding other plants

Synonyms

Acinodendron amplexans (Crueg.) KuntzeAcinodendron tomentosum (Rich.) KuntzeDiplochita tomentosa (Rich.) Griseb.Jucunda tomentosa (Rich.) Benth.Melastoma tomentosum Rich.Miconia amplexans (Crueg.) Cogn.Miconia symplectocaulos Pilg.Miconia umbrifera NaudinMiconia undecinervia Cogn.Pogonorhynchus amplexans Crueg.Pogonorhynchus sessilifolius Crueg.Tamonea tomentosa Krasser

Also Known As

Bladdermispel, Chuegihue, Hocotsemo, Kleine mispel, Mesproe, Mispel, Mullaca caspi, Oluka, Pichirina, Rifari blanco, Sakai, Wakaradan, Waraia

References (5)

Bendezu, Y. F., 2018, Arboles nativos de lad Region Ucayali. Instituto Nacional de Innovacion Agraria. p 204
Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 410
Lopez-Diago, D. & Garcia, N., 2021, Wild edible fruits of Colombia. Biota ColomBiana 22 (2) p 42
Roa, J. A. G. & Boada, D. S. G., 2018, Fundación para el Fortalecimiento de la Fruticultura y Plantas Alimenticias no Convencionales en Colombia.
van Roosmalen, M.G.M., 1985, Fruits of the Guianan Flora. Utrecht Univ. & Wageningen Univ. p 279

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