On the left is Melastoma malabathricum. On the right is Clidemia hirta, an invasive melastome identified on Pohnpei in 2009
Synonym: Melastoma marianum Naudin
Lisa Lollaine Soram of Pohnpei explained the use of pisetikimei (Melastoma malabathricum var. marianum) and iohl (Merremia peltata) to treat sprains. Four of the red growing tips of the iohl vine are mixed with four leaves of pisetikimei and applied to the sprain.
Kingdom Plantae - Plants Subkingdom Tracheobionta - Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta - Seed plants Division Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants Class Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons Subclass Rosidae Order Myrtales Family Melastomataceae - Melastome family Genus Melastoma Species Melastoma malabathricum Variety marianum