Melastoma candidum D. Don, Melastomataceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 13 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Melastoma septemnervium Lour.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Asian melastome, Indian rhododendron, Malabar melastome

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Erect shrubs or small trees 1.5-5 m tall, branches and petioles densely covered with a mixture of short, appressed, laciniate scales 0.5-1 mm long and longer lanceolate scale 1.5-5 mm long.  Leaves elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 4-11 cm long, 1.3-4 cm wide, 5 (-7)-nerved, upper surface strigose to scabrous, lower surface sericeous but with a mixture of scales on the nerves like those of young branches, margins entire, apex acute, base obtuse to rounded, petioles 5-12 mm long.  Inflorescences 2-7-flowered, pedicels 10-12 mm long in fruit, bracts and bracteoles elliptic, lanceolate, or ovate, 1-2.2 cm long, 0.5-1.3 cm wide, early deciduous; hypanthium densely covered with imbricate, lanceolate, ciliolate scales; calyx 5-lobed, triangular-lanceolate, 0.7-2 cm long; petals usually 5, pink, 2.5-3.2 cm long, 1.5-2.3 cm wide; anthers of larger stamens 10-11 mm long; anthers of smaller stamens 8.5-10 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 910-911).

Habitat/ecology:  "This noxious, spreading shrub forms tangled brush up to 2 m tall which crowds out all other species"  Grows from sea level to 700 m in Hawai‘i. (Smith, 1985; p. 194).  Favors mesic to wet areas and bog margins. In Hawai‘i, "cultivated and now naturalized in mesic to wet areas and bog margins" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 910-911); "forms dense stands in wetter pastures and forests, shading out understory"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Propagation:  Berry-like fruit dispersed by frugivorous birds (Smith, 1985; p. 194).

Native range:  Vietnam, southern China, Philippine Islands, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, and southern Japan.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 910-911)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 910-911) Voucher cited: Bryan 626 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Conant, Patrick (1996) (p. 2) Voucher cited: Heu s.n. (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Conant, Patrick (1998) (pp. 1-2) Voucher cited: R. Fenstermacher s.n. (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	native	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007) Also var. alessandrense S. Kobay.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 910-911)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (pp. 185-186) In forests, altitude 600 to 1,200 m.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 166)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 910-911)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 910-911)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 910-911)

Comments:  Closely related to or synonymous with Melastoma malabathricum L. (Indian rhododendron) which is native to the Marianas and Caroline Islands (var. mariannum per Fosberg et al. (1979; p. 194), present on Pagan, Alamagan, Saipan, Guam, Palau (Babeldaob, Koror, Ngarakabesang, Malakal, and Aulupse‘el), Yap, Pohnpei, and Kosrae).

Control: 

Chemical: "Sensitive to hormone type herbicides 2,4-D, dicamba and triclopyr at 1 lb/acre, and to metsulfuron at 0.45 oz/acre. Sensitive to basal bark and stump bark applications of 2,4-D and triclopyr at 4% product in diesel."  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Additional information:
Report (PDF format) from US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Hawaii "Plants of Hawaii".
Excerpt from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).
Information from the Global Invasive Species Database.

Additional online information about Melastoma candidum is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Melastoma candidum as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Melastoma candidum may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Conant, Patrick. 1996. New Hawaiian pest plant records for 1995. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1995. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 46:1-2.

Conant, Patrick. 1998. Range extensions for Malastomes in Hawai‘i. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1997. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 56:1-2.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Merrill, Elmer D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 3 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 628 pp.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Ching, Lincoln/Nagai, Guy. 2002. Herbicidal Weed Control Methods for Pasture and Natural Areas of Hawaii. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i. CTAHR free publication WC-8.

Smith, Clifford W. 1985. Impact of Alien Plants on Hawai‘i's Native Biota. In: Stone, Charles P. and Scott, J. Michael, eds. Hawai‘i's terrestrial ecosystems: preservation and Management. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawaii, Manoa.

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Wu, Te-lin. 2001. Check List of Hong Kong Plants. Hong Kong Herbarium and the South China Institute of Botany. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Bulletin 1 (revised). 384 pp.