Tibouchina
Encyclopedia
Tibouchina is a genus
of about 350 species of neotropical plant
s in the family Melastomataceae
. They are tree
s, shrub
s or subshrub
s growing 0.5–25 m tall, and are known as glory bushes or glory trees. They are native to rainforests
of Mexico
, the Caribbean
, and South America
, especially Brazil
. The name comes from an adaptation of the native Guiana
term for these shrubs.
Several species are cultivated for their large bright flowers. As tropical plants they are rather cold-sensitive, and should be raised in a greenhouse
wherever temperatures fall below 8 °C to 10 °C.
One species, Tibouchina lepidota 'Alstonville', known for its brilliant display of flowers in late summer and autumn is common in many parts of Australia.
because of their high potential for being invasive species
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of about 350 species of neotropical plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s in the family Melastomataceae
Melastomataceae
right|thumb|200px|Characteristic venation of many melastomesThe family Melastomataceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants found mostly in the tropics comprising some 200 genera and 4500 species...
. They are tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s, shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s or subshrub
Subshrub
A subshrub or dwarf shrub is a short woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a similar term.It is distinguished from a shrub by its ground-hugging stems and lower height, with overwintering perennial woody growth typically less than 10–20 cm tall, or by being only weakly woody and/or persisting...
s growing 0.5–25 m tall, and are known as glory bushes or glory trees. They are native to rainforests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, especially Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The name comes from an adaptation of the native Guiana
Guiana
The Guiana Shield is one of the three cratons of the South American Plate. It is a 1.7 billion year old Precambrian geological formation in northeast South America that forms a portion of the northern coast. The higher elevations on the shield are called the Guiana Highlands, which is where the...
term for these shrubs.
Selected species
|
Tibouchina oroensis Tibouchina oroensis is a species of plant in the Melastomataceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador.-Source:* Cotton, E. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007.... Gleason Tibouchina pulchra Tibouchina pulchra is a plant species in the genus Tibouchina.2,6-Dimethoxybenzoquinone is a benzoquinone, a chemical compound found in T. pulchra.... (Cham.) Cogn. |
Cultivation
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
wherever temperatures fall below 8 °C to 10 °C.
One species, Tibouchina lepidota 'Alstonville', known for its brilliant display of flowers in late summer and autumn is common in many parts of Australia.
Invasive potential
All Tibouchina species are considered noxious weeds in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
because of their high potential for being invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
.