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Showy Asian Grapes
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Showy Asian Grapes
E Native Photo: Anne Thingnam
Common name: Showy Asian Grapes, Parijoto
Botanical name: Medinilla speciosa    Family: Melastomataceae (Melastome family)
Synonyms: Melastoma speciosum, Melastoma eximium

Showy Asian Grapes is an evergreen shrub, reaching on average a height of 45-60 cm. It has woody branched stems and opposite leathery green leaves, up to 20 cm long and 15 cm wide, with prominent veins. The dainty small flowers are bright pink-colored and are produced in large panicles on pendant reddish stems. The flowering period extends from early Summer to Fall. When the blooming is finished for about a month remains a raceme of showy berries. These rounded fruits are at first pink and purple-blue when ripe, hence the common name. Showy Asian Grapes is found in Borneo, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Nicobar Island, Sulawesi, Sumatera. It is cultivated as a garden plant.

Identification credit: Tabish Photographed in cultivation in Imphal, Manipur.

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