Pleroma heteromallum, synonyms including Tibouchina grandifolia and Tibouchina heteromalla, known by the common name silverleafed princess flower in English, is a species of evergreen flowering plant in the family Melastomataceae. It is native to French Guiana, Bolivia and Brazil.
Description
Pleroma heteromallum reaches an average height of 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 m), with a maximum of about 8–10 feet (2.4–3.0 m) in its native habitat. The branching stem is woody and the large, silvery green leaves are simple, ovate, velvety in texture, and oppositely arranged. The inflorescence is a panicle of several purple flowers with five petals. The plant has 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) long leaves, with prominent veins that are puffed up in the middle and old leaves will often turn an orange color just prior to dropping off.
Cultivation
The plant is cultivated as an ornamental for its showy foliage and purple flowers. It is sensitive to cold but can tolerate a light frost.
Gallery
Habit
Inflorescence
Flower
Foliage
Sources
Porembski, S., et al. (1998). Diversity and ecology of saxicolous vegetation mats on inselbergs in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Diversity and Distributions 4(3) 107–19.
Renner, S. S. (1989). A survey of reproductive biology in neotropical Melastomataceae and Memecylaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Wikidata: Q80702735
Wikispecies: Pleroma heteromallum
GBIF (old): 7524822
iNaturalist: 1117609
IPNI: 574812-1
NCBI: 1160653
POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:574812-1
Tropicos: 50187192
WFO: wfo-0001258172
Tibouchina heteromalla
Wikidata: Q7800525
BOLD: 464198
CoL: 56VBM
GBIF (old): 3862448
GRIN: 418730
iNaturalist: 154800
IPNI: 576338-1
ITIS: 895361
MoBotPF: 250355
Open Tree of Life: 180674
Plant List: tro-50257594
PLANTS: TIHE4
POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:576338-1
Tropicos: 50257594
WFO: wfo-0001272541
Melastoma heteromallum
Wikidata: Q39264215
CoL: 3ZCZT
GBIF (old): 3860661
IPNI: 570874-1
POWO:...
