463

Memecylon umbellatum Burm. f.

Family	:	Melastomataceae
Local name	:	English -Ironwood tree Malayalam -Kayampoomaram, Kasavu
Flowering and fruiting period	:	February-March
Distribution	:	Peninsular India and Sri Lanka
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Semi-evergreen, shola and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
Uses	:	The plant is traditionally used to treat various ailments like gonorrhoea, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, diabetes, cough and also in the treatment of herpes.
Key Botanical Characters: Large shrubs. Leaves ovate-oblong or elliptic, base cuneate, apex obtuse to rounded, coriaceous, drying yellowish green; petiole 5 mm long. Umbels compact, sessile or very short peduncled, many-flowered; flowers subsessile. Calyx 2-3 mm wide, pale bluish, truncate or shallowly 4-lobed. Petals blue, elliptic-ovate to orbicular. Filaments blue; anthers 1.5 mm long. Style blue. Berry globose, initially yellowish green; mature fruit bluish black.