Family:
Melastomataceae Juss.

Osbeckia L.

This genus is accepted, and its native range is Tropical & Subtropical Old World to N. Australia.

[FTEA]

Melastomataceae, G. E. Wickens. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1975

Morphology General Habit
Herbs, subshrubs or shrubs, usually erect, hispid, strigose or scabrid
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3–7-nerved, entire or serrulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence capitate, racemose or panicled
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 4–5-merous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx ovoid, urceolate or subglobose, usually produced beyond the ovary, rarely glabrous, usually hispid, bristly or with scales bearing pectinate or stellately arranged bristles, sometimes with such appendages alternating with the calyx-lobes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals obovate, rose or purple
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens equal; anthers linear-subulate, incurved or sigmoid; connective not or only shortly produced below the anther, without appendages or with 2 anterior tubercles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary adherent to the calyx, usually by 8–10 septa, 4–5-locular, with a crown of bristles at the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule enclosed in the dry calyx-tube
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds minute, cochleate.

[FZ]

Melastomataceae, R. & A. Fernandes. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit
Perennial erect or ascending herbs or shrubs, setose, with the branches usually 4-gonous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, 3–7-nerved, entire or serrulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 4–5-merous, solitary, capitate or paniculate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Receptacle ovoid, urceolate or subglobose, usually covered by simple bristles or stellate-setose or penicillate appendages.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals caducous or persistent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals obovate, ciliate at the margin.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10, equal; anthers linear-subulate, rostrate, opening by a terminal introrse pore; connective not or slightly produced, with the appendages not anteriorly bitubercled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 4–5-locular, adhering to the receptacle by 8–10 longitudinal septa, with a crown of bristles at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 4–5-valved, included in the receptacle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds numerous, minute, cochleate.

Native to:

Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Guinea, Hainan, India, Japan, Jawa, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaya, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, Nepal, Northern Territory, Philippines, Queensland, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Togo, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Western Australia

Introduced into:

Mauritius

Osbeckia L. appears in other Kew resources:

First published in Sp. Pl.: 345 (1753)

Accepted by

  • Prashobb, P. & Sibichen, M.T. (2020). Osbeckia L. (Melastomataceae) in India: 1-122. Bishen Singh Madhendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, India.
  • Roskov Y. & al. (eds.) (2018). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Literature

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • —F.T.A. 2: 441.

Flora Zambesiaca

  • Gen. Pl. ed. 5: 162 (1754).
  • Sp. Pl. 1: 345 (1753)

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • L., Gen. Pl., ed. 5: 162 (1754)
  • Sp. Pl.: 345 (1753)
  • emend. A. & R. Fernandes in Bol. Soc. Brot., sér. 2, 28: 75 (1954)
  • in Garcia de Orta 2: 188 (1954)

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    Flora Zambesiaca
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    Flora of Tropical East Africa
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0