This native shrub is commonly known as black-mouth bush.
Melastoma malabathricum subsp. malabathricum is described as a "dicot" in the Melastomataceae family.
In the Queensland Nature Conservation Act it is classified as Least Concern. Under the Federal Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act it is not classified.
Accepted name in the Australian Plant Census is Melastoma affine. Leaves: Generally 3 distinct longitudinal veins and 2 less distinct intramarginal veins. Leaves hairy but thinner than Asian Melastome. Leaf stalks purple or white with short hairs. Flowers: Pinkish purple flower (also a white form). Five petals about 20-30mm long. Flowers all year round. Fruit: Red and green outside, purple on inside, hairy to 10mm.
Habit: Shrub 1-2 metres high, growing in moist areas such as gullies and freshwater wetlands. (http://www.lfwseq.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Land-for-Wildlife-Newsletter-July-2016.pdf) Regarded as a wetland species in Queensland WetlandInfo.
It has been recorded in the Wide Bay district in the Queensland Herbarium Census and is listed as occurring in the Fraser Coast region in Queensland Herbarium Wildlife Online.
Reported at 19 Fraser Coast localities: Bauple Forest, Beaver Rock, Bidwill, Boonooroo Plains, Craignish, Dundowran Beach, Great Sandy Strait, K'gari, Magnolia, Poona, St Mary, Talegalla Weir, Teddington, Tinnanbar, Toogoom, Tuan Forest, Urangan, Urraween, Wondunna.
Fraser Coast distribution based on unverified field reports.
AVH
