Origin: Brazil, Colombia.
This tree was originally cultivated due to its white sap, which can be made into rubber. The rubber produced by this tree is commonly known as Ceara or Manicoba rubber. It was widely distributed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, from 1877 onward. However, the yield of the white sap was no match to that produced by the Para rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis).
Origin: South America
This is a small shrub which is very hairy including the leaf surfaces. The flowers are white but the ripe berries, also full of hairs, are dark purple in colour. The soft pulp of the ripe fruit is sweet and edible. It is reported to be the only invasive plant species that have shown up and survive well in the midst of the rainforest in Singapore. It belongs to the same family as the more well-known shrub, the Singapore Rododendron (Melastoma malabathricum). In 2010, I found a very similar looking hairy shrub (Miconia dependens) around the edge of the forest which can be easily mistaken to be Miconia crenata.
Reference:
[1] Le C, Fukumori K, Hosaka T, Numata S, Hashim M, Kosaki T. The distribution of an invasive species, Clidemia hirta along roads and trails in Endau Rompin National Park, Malaysia. Trop Conservation Sci 2018;11:1-9. | Read article |