Melochia tomentosa L

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The Melochia tomentosa L. is a perennial herbaceous or erect shrub, compact, 0,3-2,5 m tall, with branches covered by whitish tomentum. The leaves, on a 0,1-2 cm long petiole, are opposite, simple, oblong-ovate with obtuse or acute apex and crenate-serrate margin, 2-6 cm long and 1-4 cm broad, covered by a whitish tomentum of stellate hairs.

The inflorescences, on an about 8 mm long peduncle, are umbelliform cymes usually axillary, at times terminal or opposite to the leaves, with 3-10 flowers, of about 1,5 cm of diameter, fragrant. Calyx, about 6 mm long, with 5 sepals, united at the base, covered by glandular hairs, corolla with 5 free petals overlapped at the base, ovate with obtuse apex, 8-10 mm long and 2-3 mm broad, pink to violet purple, 5 stamens, pentalocular ovary with 2 ovules per locule and style with 5 ramifications.

The flowers are bisexual, but present the phenomenon of the heterostyly, with individuals bearing only flowers with short style and long stamens (brevistyle), and others only flowers with style longer than the stamens (longistyle), that favours the crossed fecundation.

The fruit is a capsule with acuminate apex and 5 wings, about 8 mm broad, tomentose, with 1-2 seeds, 2-3 mm long, per locule. The flowers are visited by various species of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Melochia tomentosa - Monaco Nature Encyclopedia

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