
June -2018: Herbal Profile: Indian Rhododendron
Authors: Dr. Sanjaya K.S., Dr. Prashant Kumar Jha
Botanical Source: Leaves of Melastoma malabathricum Linn. from family Melastomataceae.
Geographical Source: It is found throughout India up to 6000 feet except desert.
Morphology: It is a strigose or villose shrub with short dense appressed hairs on stems and leaves. Flowers are terminal, solitary clustered, mauve-purple in colour. Sepals and petals are equal in number (pentamerous). Stamens are with purple anthers. Fruits are 0.25 inch in size, pulpy within, short-ovoid. Seeds are many, minutely punctate.
Macroscopy: Leaves are 4-13.5 x 1.5-3.5 cm in size, puberulous, adaxially densely strigose. They are usually with 5-prominent nerves. The dorsal surface is light in colour. The odour is characteristic while the taste is sour, astrin...