to 50 cm, stems pale brown flushed deep pink, leaves green flushed pink-purple to varying degrees; inflorescences magenta-pink, flowers in bud deep magenta pink Project web address: www.inbio.ac.cr/pila-darwin/
at 3 m; pedicel green with grey lenticels, calyx yellow-green, style magenta, filaments dark pink at base - white towards the apex, anthers rich yellowProject web address: www.inbio.ac.cr/pila-darwin/
The leaves of this genus don't look much like a melastome, but they are. This species is confined to the mountains of northern Colombia, photo from Mt. Kennedy of the Santa Marta Range. In context at www.dixpix.ca/meso_america/Flora/melastomes/index.html
Tibouchina urvilleanaPrincess Flower. Native of Brazil. A common garden plant in Florida and California. It is a noxious weed in Hawaii and several other Pacific and Indian Ocean islands. The photo shows the black stamens that are an identifying feature of the species. Photographed in a private garden in Berkeley, CA.
Known as the Pink Princess in garden circles, this species is native to northeastern Colombia and adjacent Venezuela. Photo from El Dorado Reserve in the former. In context at www.dixpix.ca/meso_america/Flora/melastomes/index.html