Tibouchina

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Tibouchina
Tibouchina semidecandra at Strybing Arboretum, San Francisco
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Myrtales Family: Melastomataceae Genus: Tibouchina Aubl.
Species
About 350; see text.

Tibouchina (syn. Lasiandra DC.) is a genus of about 350 species of neotropical plants in the family Melastomataceae. They are trees, shrubs or subshrubs growing 0.5-25 m tall, and are known as "glory bushes" or sometimes "glory trees". They are native to rainforests of Mexico, the West Indies, and South America, especially Brazil. The name comes from an adaptation of the native Guiana term for these shrubs.

Selected species

• Tibouchina anderssonii
• Tibouchina bicolor
• Tibouchina campii
• Tibouchina clavata
• Tibouchina elegans
• Tibouchina gaudichaudiana
• Tibouchina gleasoniana
• Tibouchina grandifolia
• Tibouchina granulosa (Purple Glory Tree, or Quaresmeira in Brazil)
• Tibouchina heteromalla
• Tibouchina holosericea
• Tibouchina herbacea
• Tibouchina langsdorffiana
• Tibouchina laxa
• Tibouchina maudhiana
• Tibouchina multiflora
• Tibouchina oroensis
• Tibouchina pulchra
• Tibouchina semidecandra
• Tibouchina stenoccarpa
• Tibouchina urvilleana
• Tibouchina viminea

Contents 1 Cultivation 2 Invasive potential 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Cultivation

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.

[edit] Invasive potential

All Tibouchina species are considered noxious weeds in Hawaii^[1] because of their high potential for being invasive species.^[2][3][4]

[edit] References

1. ^ Hawaii Administrative Rules, Title 4 Department of Agriculture, Subtitle 6 Division of Plant Industry, Chapter 68, Noxious Weed Rules (http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/adminrules/AR-68.pdf, cited 05 February 2007)
2. ^ Tibouchina urvilleana: Pacfic Island Ecosystems at Risk project [PIER] data (http://www.hear.org/pier/species/tibouchina_herbacea.htm, accessed 05 February 2007)
3. ^ Plants of Hawaii reports: Tibouchina longifolia (http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/html/tibouchina_longifolia.htm, accessed 05 February 2007)
4. ^ Plants of Hawaii reports: Tibouchina urvilleana (http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/html/tibouchina_urvilleana.htm, accessed 05 February 2007)

[edit] External links

• (Portuguese) Flora Brasiliensis: Tibouchina