Heterocentron subtriplinervium (Link & Otto) A.Braun & C.Bouche, Melastomataceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: pearl flower

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect, suffrutescent herbs or subshrubs; branches tetragonal, 1-2 m long. Leaves elliptic to ovate, 3-7 (-9.5) cm long, 1.4-4 cm wide, pinnately nerved, both surfaces sparsely to moderately appressed pubescent, apex acute to rarely obtuse or rounded, base of larger leaves acute to long-attenuate and decurrent on the petiole, petioles 4-15 (-21) mm long. Hypanthium 3-4 mm long in flower, sparsely covered with appressed or antrorsely spreading, barbellate hairs; calyx lobes 4-6 mm long in fruit, 2-3 mm wide at base, glabrous but tipped with a solitary hair; petals white, pink, or magenta, 6.5-8 mm long, 5.5-7 mm wide; anthers of larger stamens usually 3.5-4.5 mm long, connective prolonged 2.5-3 mm with an appendage 1.5-3 mm long, anthers of smaller stamens 2.5-3.5 mm long, connective prolonged ca. 0.25 mm. Fruiting hypanthium campanulate, 5-6 mm long, 4-6 mm wide, smooth to vaguely reticulate. Seeds ca. 0.5 mm long" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 909).

Habitat/ecology:  Wet sites in disturbed areas. Forms dense tangled understory growth.

Propagation:  "Prolific seeder, typical of melastomes. Birds spread seeds"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Native range:  Mexico; cultivated and naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 94) "Potential invader".
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 909)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 909)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 909) Voucher cited: Topping s. n. (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 909)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control: 

Chemical:  "Other melastomes are sensitive to hormone-type herbicides" (Motooka et al., 2003).