Category: M

Mesua ferrea L. (GUTTIFERAE) Common namesKannada: Nagasampige, Nagakesara.Malayalam: Nanga, Peri.Sanskrit: Bhujangakhya, Kanchana, Kesara.English: Indian Rose chestnut. Description: Evergreen trees, up to 30 m tall; often buttressed at base; bark smooth, ash-colored, grey, turning dark brown, exfoliating in large, white flakes. Leaves opposite, decussate, very variable, linear –lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, lanceolate or elliptic-oblong, 6-15 x 2-4 cm,…

Memecylon malabaricum (C. B. Clarke.) Cogn. (MELASTOMATACEAE) Common namesKannada: Dodda nekkare.Tulu: Olle kodi.Tamil: Malamthetti, Perungaca. Description: The trees can reach heights of up to 15 meters. The leaves are arranged oppositely, ovate-oblong, with dimensions of up to 10 x 5 cm. They are semi-amplexicaul or subcordate at the base and acute or subobtuse at the…

Memecylon talbotianum Brandis (MELASTOMATACEAE) Common namesTulu: Alimar.Tamil: Kancan. Description: A large shrub or a small tree. Leaves opposite, elliptic or ovate, up to 10 x 5 cm, acute at both ends, margins slightly revolute, yellowish when dry. The flowers are arranged in lateral fascicles and are deep blue. The calyx is campanulate, and the corolla…

Meiogyne pannosa (Dalz.) Sinclair. (ANNONACEAE) Common namesKannada: Kudubondo Description: Trees, 5-9 m tall; young parts puberulous. Leaves lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate; up to 16 x 4 cm, rounded or acute at base, acuminate at apex, pellucid-punctate; pubescent on nerves beneath. Flowers axillary or extra-axillary, often on old wood, solitary, straw-coloured. Sepals 3, ovate, acute, pubescent outside.…

Melastoma malabathricum L. (MELASTOMATACEAE) Common namesKannada & Tulu: Nekkare.Malayalam: Kadali, Kalampatti.Tamil: Kadalai, Nakkukaruppan.Telugu: Pattudu. Description: Shrubs, 1-2 m tall; stem and branches clothed with scales. Leaves opposite, elliptic, elliptic-lanceolate or ovate-oblong, 5-12 x 1.5 – 4 cm, rounded at base, acute at apex, strigose above, appressedly-hairy, scaly on nerves beneath; nerves 3-7; petioles 1-1.5 cm…

Melia dubia Cav. (MELIACEAE) Common namesKannada: Hebbevu, Betta bevu.Tulu: Thurka bevu.Malayalam: Malavembu.Sanskrit: Arangaka.Tamil: Malai vembu.Telugu: Munnati karaka.English: Great neem. Description: Trees up to 25 m tall with whitish grey bark; young parts scurfy-tomentose. Leaves alternate, bi- or occasionally tri-pinnate, up to 1 m long; pinnae 3-8 pairs; leaflets 3-13, ovate-lanceolate to ovate round, up to…

Mallotus stenanthus Muell. – Arg. (EUPHORBIACEAE) Common nameTamil: Karuvalichchi. Description: Monoecious shrubs or small trees up to 8 m tall; branchlets compressed, yellow-glandulous. Leaves opposite, elliptic-ovate to lanceolate, up to 14 x 4.5 cm, narrowly rounded at base, acute or acuminate at apex, yellow- glandular beneath; peliole up to 1 cm long. Flowers in slender…

Maytenus rothiana (Walp.) Labreau – Callen (CELASTRCEAE) Description: Shrubs or small trees 6-8 m tall, sometimes armed. Leaves alternate, ovate or ovate-elliptic or obovate, up to 16 x 9 cm, cuneate at base, obtuse or acuminate at apex, margins crenulate. Flowers in short peduncled or subsessile cymes or fascicled on tubercles of branches, greenish white.…

Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell. – Arg. (EUPHORBIACEAE) Common namesKannada: Kumkumada mara.Malayalam: Manjana.Sanskrit: Kampillake.Tamil: Kamala, Kapli.Telugu: Kumkuma. Description: Small, dioecious trees up to 9 m tall; branchlets rusty-tomentose. Leaves alternate, crowded near the tip, ovate, ovate-lanceolate or ovate-elliptic, up to 25 x 9 cm, rounded at base, acute or shortly acuminate at apex, glaucous and red-glandular…

Maesa indica (Roxb.) DC. (MYRSINACEAE) Common namesKannada: Mandase, Tanipela.Sanskrit: Vayu vidanga.Malayalam: Kiriti. Description: Much branched shrubs or small trees; the stem usually covered with numerous small lenticels. Leaves alternate, elliptic ovate, ovate-oblong or elliptic lanceolate, up to 15 x 9 cm, rounded or subacute at base, acute or shorly acuminate at apex, serrate-dentate, shining above;…