Miconia
(named after D. Micon, a Spanish botanist). Including Chilonia (of Don), Diplochita, and Tamonea. (of Aublet). ORD. Melastomaceae. A vast genus (about 300 species) of stove, polymorphous shrubs and trees, natives of tropical America and Asia. Flowers white, pink, red, purple, or yellow, in terminal or rarely lateral, corymbose panicles, pedicellate or sessile; calyx glabrous, fur-furaceous, tomentose, or rarely setose; tube often adherent with the ovary; petals four to eight, obovate or oblong, spreading or reflexed. Berry two or many-seeded. Leaves frequently petiolate, entire, denticulate, or serrulate. A few of the species are cultivated for the sake of their foliage, those described below being the best known. For culture, see Melastoma. M. flammea (flame-coloured).* l. very large, glossy, but rugose from the sunken veins, thin-ribbed, elliptic, acuminate, with the blade partially decurrent on the petiole. Stem erect, clothed with close rusty hairs. A handsome foliage plant.
M. Hookeriana (Hooker's).* l. deep olive-green, with broad silvery midrib, elliptic, rugose. A fine ornamental-leaved shrub. Peru. (B. M. 5411, under name of M. pulverulenta.) M. H. trifasciata (three-banded). fl. white, small, in terminal panicles. l. elliptic, acute, with the three ribs silvery. Branches, leaves, and panicles velvety-tomentose. Eastern Peru.
M. pulverulenta (powdery). A synonym of M. Hookeriana. M. Teysmanniana (Teysmann's). l. elliptic-ovate, five-nerved, metallic green. Malayan Archipelago, 1867. (R. G. 537.)