These are all plants from the Melastomataceae Family - Clidemia hirta, Dissotis rotundifolia, Medinilla and Memecylon caeruleum.
Some of the characteristics of plants from this Family are as follows although there will always be exceptions:
- opposite or decussate leaves
- 3-5 veined leaves
- actinomorphic (radial symmetry) 5 petaled flowers
- stamens double the number of petals
- stamens with horns, knobs
- fruit is a berry
- estipulate
This is the end stretch of the Southern Ridges trail. There are many open areas where new trees with coloured leaves were deliberately planted.
It was also here where I spotted an unassuming Chestnut Bob skipper butterfly on the Clidemia hirta weed. There was also another unknown tree with interesting fruits and the familiar Claoxylon indicum that I often see from Alexandra Road. The Horsfieldia irya trees were also fruiting.
Finally, we crossed the Alexandra Arch and reached the last destination HortPark.
