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Pleroma urvilleanum

(DC.) P.J.F.Guim. & Michelang. (2019)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Myrtales Family: Melastomataceae Genus: Pleroma

glory bush, lasiandra, princess flower

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs or small trees 1–4 m tall.

Stems: Young branches quadrate, densely villous to hirtellous.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite, decussate. Blades elliptic–ovate to lanceolate, 4–12 cm long, 2–5 cm wide. Apex acute to acuminate. Base obtuse to rounded. Upper surfaces strigose, the hairs not adnate to surface; lower surfaces sericeous. Margins entire. 5–7-veined. Petioles 5–20 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in cymes, inflorescences terminal, 8–15 cm long (incl. peduncle), with 2 bracts subtending each simple cyme, bracts elliptic to elliptic–ovate, 2.5–3 cm long, 0.8–1.4 cm wide, deciduous, bracteoles enclosing and concealing floral buds. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Hypanthium densely strigose; fruiting hypanthium 14–15 mm long, 9–10 mm wide. Calyx lobes linear–subulate, 12–15 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, deciduous after anthesis. Corolla of 5 petals, obovate, purple, 25–40 mm long, 20–40 mm wide. Stamens twice as many as petals, dimorphic; anthers linear–subulate, with a ventrally inclined pore, larger anthers 15–16 mm long, connective prolonged 6–7 mm, with an appendage ca. 1 mm long, smaller anthers 11–14 mm long, with shorter connective and appendage but otherwise as in larger anthers; filaments glandular puberulent at base. Ovary inferior, distinct, 4–5-celled, pubescent at the apex, placentation axile; ovules numerous; style simple; stigma terminal.

Fruit: Capsules fully enclosed by the hypanthium. Seeds: mature seeds not seen.

Ploidy: 2n = 56

Habitat: Open and shaded areas in mesix to wet forests; forest edges; and clearings.

Elevation Range: 200–1,200 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Extirpated
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Taxon 68: 991 (2019)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:916 (K, O, M, H [as Tibouchina urvilleana]); Staples & Herbst 2005:397 (DESCR); Guimaraes et al. 2019:971 (COMBNOV, Syn. T. urvilleana = P. urvilleanum); Jean Fujikawa pers. comm. 2025 (O†, 2015)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Pleroma urvilleanum Honolulu; Upper Nuuanu Valley, near upside down falls Well established in underbrush in thick woods. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 2 m ht, flowers deep purple. Fosberg, F.R. 27067 Oahu BISH 1946-09-15
2 Pleroma urvilleanum Puna District, along Hwy 11 betw mi markers 25 & 26, near intersection w/ Jade St, 3 mi NE of Volcano Wet forest. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 4 m ht, corolla rich purple. Lammers, T.G. 5450 Hawaii BISH 1983-09-05
3 Pleroma urvilleanum Volcano Rd, near Volcano, Forest Reserve along rd In mixed fern forest. Preserved_Specimen Tall shrub, 5 m ht. MacDaniels, L.H. 223 Hawaii BISH 1926-11-10
4 Pleroma urvilleanum Anauulu Rd above Hilo Side of gully in sugar cane field. Preserved_Specimen Flowers pink. Fosberg, F.R. 10490 Hawaii BISH 1933-12-07
5 Pleroma urvilleanum Koolau Mountain Range: Honolulu: Upper Nuuanu Valley, near upside down falls Well established in underbrush in thick woods. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 2 m ht, flowers deep purple. Fosberg, F.R. 27067 Oahu BISH 1946-09-15
6 Pleroma urvilleanum Mililani Mauka at American Classics at Kapanoe subdivision, Lehiwa Drive Lanscaped area of street corner, roadsides, with groundcovers (Arachis pintoi), other ornamentals. Preserved_Specimen Bush 4-6 ft. tall. Flowers 3.75-4 inches diameter; petals 5, dark purple. Fruiting. Arakaki, D. Oahu BISH 2003-09-25
7 Pleroma urvilleanum 29 miles Persistent in forested region. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 9641 Hawaii BISH 1929-06-22
8 Pleroma urvilleanum Koolau Mountain Range: Honolulu: Upper Nuuanu Valley, near upside down falls Well established in underbrush in thick woods. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 2 m ht, flowers deep purple. Fosberg, F.R. 27067 Oahu BISH 1946-09-15
9 Pleroma urvilleanum East Maui, Haiku, just past Hanzawa's store Moist, rural residential roadside. Several large bushes on top of steep bank. Associated vegetation: Melinis minutiflorus, Archontophoenix alexandrae. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 1-2m ht; capsules brown when mature, 2cm long, 1cm wide, seeds w. tiny beige specks, similar to T. herbacea. Starr, F. 209131 Maui BISH 2002-09-13
10 Pleroma urvilleanum 4005 Round top Drive, on slope below property Wet mesic non-native forest bordering a cultivated yard. Associated vegetation: Citharexylum caudatum, Psidium cattleianum, Sambucus mexicana. Preserved_Specimen Large shrub 2 meters tall. Flowers few, 2 inches across. capsules few, no plump seeds found. Reynolds, L.S. 20070710 Oahu BISH 2007-07-10
11 Pleroma urvilleanum Glenwood In forest. Preserved_Specimen Erect, branching shrub 4-5 m ht, flowers violet to reddish purple petals. Bryan Jr., E.H. 714 Hawaii BISH 1930-12-25
12 Pleroma urvilleanum Waimea District; Waimea Canyon State Park, along Highway 550 at 11.5 miles north of Waimea Mixed mesophytic forest with Acacia koa dominant. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 3-4 m tall, bracts & calyx lobes pink, petals dark purple. Lorence, D.H. 5554 Kauai BISH 1987-09-16
13 Pleroma urvilleanum Along rd to Volcano Preserved_Specimen Small tree, ca 15 ft tall, w/ smooth, light brown bark, foliage dull, dark green above, silvery tomentose below, red in senescence, bud red, flowers deep velvety purple. Herbst, D.R. 920 Hawaii BISH 1968-02-14
14 Pleroma urvilleanum Road below Kokee Naturalized, locally common, roadside in edge of degraded forest. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 4 m tall, petals bright deep purple. Fosberg, F.R. 59493 Kauai BISH 1980-03-02
15 Pleroma urvilleanum Waimea; Kokee Terr. Park, 0.5 mile north of Waimea Canyon Lookout Preserved_Specimen Shrub 5 m high; flowers violet, fruits red. Chock, A.K. 365 Kauai BISH 1952-02-04
16 Pleroma urvilleanum Waimea; 0.5 mile from Canyon Lookout; 200 yards from Puu Ka Pele Preserved_Specimen Shrub 5 m high; violet flowers, red fruits. Chock, A.K. 388 Kauai BISH 1952-02-04
17 Pleroma urvilleanum Along rd to Volcano Preserved_Specimen Small tree, ca 15 ft tall, w/ smooth, light brown bark, foliage dull, dark green above, silvery tomentose below, red in senescence, bud red, flowers deep velvety purple. Herbst, D.R. 920 Hawaii BISH 1968-02-14
18 Pleroma urvilleanum Kokee Camp Preserved_Specimen Tall, branched shrub 4-7 m; buds rose, petals purple. Bryan Jr., E.H. 1471 Kauai BISH 1940-08-01
19 Pleroma urvilleanum Kokee, Waimea Preserved_Specimen 7 ft. shrub, flower purple. St.John, H. 13786 Kauai BISH 1933-12-28
20 Pleroma urvilleanum Kokee State Park Preserved_Specimen Shrub with smooth, light brown bark; foliage dull, dark green above, silvery tomentose below; flower deep velvety purple; fruit red; seeds brown, very minute. Herbst, D.R. 1008 Kauai BISH 1968-03-31
21 Pleroma urvilleanum Waimea; Kokee Terr. Park, 0.5 mile north of Waimea Canyon Lookout Preserved_Specimen Shrub 5 m high; violet flowers, red fruits. Chock, A.K. 366 Kauai BISH 1952-02-04
22 Pleroma urvilleanum Volcano House Preserved_Specimen 8 m ht, flowers rose purple 6 cm diam, fruit capsule. Judd, C.S. 43 Hawaii BISH 1926-07-24
23 Pleroma urvilleanum Along rd to Volcano Preserved_Specimen Small tree, ca 15 ft tall, w/ smooth, light brown bark, foliage dull, dark green above, silvery tomentose below, red in senescence, bud red, flowers deep velvety purple. Herbst, D.R. 920 Hawaii BISH 1968-02-14
24 Pleroma urvilleanum 1 mi S of State Route 11 on Glenwood Road Preserved_Specimen Shrub 2 m tall; corollas purple. Miller, J.S. 7951 Hawaii BISH 1992-08-06
25 Pleroma urvilleanum Honolulu: Manoa Valley; Lyon Arboretum, middle lawn makai behind cottage A Preserved_Specimen Large shrub 15 ft ht, stems angular, pubescent when young, leaves silver tomentose, corolla purple, appendages purple. Nagata, K.M. 887 Oahu BISH 1971-09-28
26 Pleroma urvilleanum Tantalus Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. Oahu BISH
27 Pleroma urvilleanum Kalauilehua, Kilauea Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 13029 Hawaii BISH 1917-08-01
28 Pleroma urvilleanum Kokee State Park, junction of Halemanu Road and Kokee Road, near Tracking Station Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 4969 Kauai BISH 1983-08-26
29 Pleroma urvilleanum Kalauilehua Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 13030 Hawaii BISH 1917-08-01
30 Pleroma urvilleanum Honolulu; Pali Rd Preserved_Specimen Kerr, M. Oahu BISH 1945-05-03
31 Pleroma urvilleanum Hilo Preserved_Specimen Meebold, A. Hawaii BISH 1932-05-01
32 Pleroma urvilleanum Residence of Mr. Homer Preserved_Specimen Woolford, H.A. Hawaii BISH 1954-12-22
33 Pleroma urvilleanum Back road in the Olaa Forest Reserve Preserved_Specimen Adee, K.T. Hawaii BISH 1979-06-13
34 Pleroma urvilleanum Kailani Drive Road Preserved_Specimen Woolford, H.A. Hawaii BISH
35 Pleroma urvilleanum East Maui, Hana coast, along Hana Hwy 4 mi from Hana town Growing in shade of Aleurites forest along roadside. Preserved_Specimen Leaves simple, opposite w/ 3 to 5 longitudinal veins, drk green above, lighter beneath, pubescent on both sides & stem also, stems quadrangular, flowers purple w/ 10 stamens. Spence, G. 139 Maui BISH 1972-12-20
36 Pleroma urvilleanum Tantalus, grounds of E. F. Bishop Preserved_Specimen Gregory, H.E. Oahu BISH 1930-10-03
37 Pleroma urvilleanum Back rd in the Olaa Forest Reserve Preserved_Specimen Adee, K.T. Hawaii BISH 1979-06-13
38 Pleroma urvilleanum NW Kilauea Crater Wet fern forest around houses. Preserved_Specimen Trees 4 m ht, flowers violet, bracts reddish. Fosberg, F.R. 10121 Hawaii BISH 1933-08-30
39 Pleroma urvilleanum 29 miles, Glenwood Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 8188 Hawaii BISH 1926-07-23
40 Pleroma urvilleanum 29 miles, Puna In clearings. Preserved_Specimen Very troublesome naturalized weed. Degener, O. 31460 Hawaii BISH 1968-01-01
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