Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Medium

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

South America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Hairs

Status

Uncommon

About

This evergreen shrub grows in the tropical forests of Brazil and Bolivia. Its leaves are covered in dense, silver hairs that trap moisture from the humid air.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Myrtales

Family

Melastomataceae

Genus

Pleroma

Species

Pleroma heteromallum