Melastoma – The Indian Rhododendron

Melastoma Malabarthricum
Indian Rhododendron
Singapore Rhododendron

• Assamese: ফুটকলা phutkala, ফুটুকা phutuka
• Bengali: ফুটুকী phutuki
• Kannada: ಅಂಕೇರ್ಕಿ ankerki, ದೊಡ್ಡ ನೆಕ್ಕರೆ dodda nekkare, ದೊಡ್ಡ ನೆಕ್ಕರಿಕ dodda nekkarika, ಕಿಂಕೆರಿಕ kinkerika
• Konkani: नाकेरी nakery
• Lepcha: tungbram
• Malayalam: അതിരാണി athirani, കദളി kadali, തോട്ടുകാര tottukara
• Manipuri: ꯅꯨꯔꯥꯥꯈꯨꯗꯣꯡꯂꯩ nura khudonglei • Marathi: लाकेरी lakeri, पालोरे palore, रिंधा rindha
• Nepali: आङ्गेरी angeri, चुलेसी chulesi • Odia: builukham, ଗଙ୍ଗେଇ gongoi, koroti • Sanskrit: तिनीशः tinisah
• Tamil: கடலை katalai
• Telugu: నెక్కరి nekkare, నెక్కరిసెల్య nekkaresaelya, పాతుడు pathudu
• Tulu: ನೆಕ್ಕರೆ nekkare

This tropical shrub found in South East Asia and few other regions, is now cultivated to grow in gardens.

Leaves, buds and flowers of Melastoma Malabathricum q

Having seen it growing wild all around our area, I got to know it’s edible and other uses quite recently and had to wait till the plants here bloomed and the fruit pods we’re formed.

I tried to make a jelly of the melastoma (mela -black.
stoma -mouth) fruit by boiling the fruit pods in water for about 10 min, strained the liquid. Add in some sugar and gelatine. Let it set.

The pods with dark purple pulp and orange seeds.

As expected the taste was astringent and sweet, but not a taste I would repeat. Also the beautiful vibrant pink (as seen in the vessel) turned a muddy grey.

I would recommend the fruit for a natural black/purple food dye and the leaves/roots give a pink dye.

The young shoots are eaten as a fresh/cooked vegetable.

Look at the tiny seeds giving out a vibrant hue.

Other known uses of the plant are in health drinks, preserves, squashes, jellies, Ready -to- serve drinks and wines. Also used in grass jellies in Indonesia.

The sap/leaves are useful in treating diarrhoea, burns, ulcers, wounds and piles.

The pink turned muddy grey jelly.

The plant is well known for its use in dyes.
I will try to extract the dye in oil for lip balm.

A pic of Grass Jelly. Credits @RunawayRice

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