''Pleroma semidecandrum'', synonym ''Tibouchina semidecandra'', the princess flower, glory bush, or lasiandra, is a

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the family

Melastomataceae Melastomataceae is a family of dicotyledonous flowering plants found mostly in the tropics (two-thirds of the genera are from the New World tropics) comprising c. 175 genera and c. 5115 known species. Melastomes are annual or perennial herbs, s ...

, native to southeast

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Description

It is a sprawling, evergreen shrub or small ornamental tree native to

and ranges from 10 to 15 feet (20 feet with proper training) in height. The dark green, velvety, four to six-inch-long leaves have several prominent longitudinal veins instead of the usual one, and are often edged in red. Large, royal purple blossoms, flaring open to five inches, are held on terminal panicles above the

foliage A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, s ...

, creating a spectacular sight when in full bloom. Some

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are open throughout the year but they are especially plentiful from May to January.

Cultivation

Plant in full sun for best color and maximum flowering. They can tolerate the shade but will not thrive. Princess-Flower is ideal for the mixed shrubbery border or used in small groupings to compound the impact of bloom-time. Plant in most soils with good drainage and a slightly acid mix is even better. Nematodes can affect ''Tibouchina'' and over watering can contribute to

mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...

root-rot. It can be trimmed to any size and still put on a vivid, year-long flower display.

Chemistry

''Pleroma semidecandrum'' contains the dimeric ellagitannin nobotanin B.Revised structure of nobotanin B, a dimeric ellagitannin of ''Tibouchina semidecandra''. Yoshida T, Haba K, Shingu T and Okuda T, Heterocycles, 1987, volume 26, no 11, pages 2845-2848,

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q55935614, from2=Q13958094 semidecandrum Trees of Brazil