taxonID	type	description	language	source
03FC87CC7A74FFC9FE0AC90AFAF9FDD5.taxon	description	urn: lsid: ipni. org: names: 77372121 - 1 Figs 1, 3	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A74FFC9FE0AC90AFAF9FDD5.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Similar to Melastoma saigonense (Kuntze) Merr., but differs in its terete young twigs (vs. (sub) quadrangular), narrower leaves (ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, length / width ratio 2.8 – 4.1 vs. ovate to elliptic, length / width ratio 1.8 – 2), penicillate emergences spaced apart (vs. densely covered by penicillate emergences), stalk of emergences on hypanthium 1 – 1.5 mm long (vs. 3 – 5 mm long), glabrous sepals except for ciliate margins (vs. outer surface densely covered with bristles), and longer styles (20 – 25 mm long vs. 15 – 20 mm long).	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A74FFC9FE0AC90AFAF9FDD5.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific epithet refers to the limestone habitat.	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A74FFC9FE0AC90AFAF9FDD5.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype LAOS • Khammouane Province, Hinboun district, Phou Hin Poun National Protected Area, Khoun Kongleng walking trail; 203 m a. s. l.; 6 Sep. 2024; Tagane et al. Z 1704; holotype: FOF [FOF 0007160]; isotypes: KAG [KAG 188367], VNM. Paratypes LAOS • Khammouane province, Hinboun district, Phou Hin Poun National Protected Area, Khoun Kongleng walking trail; 194 m a. s. l.; 6 Sep. 2024; Tagane et al. Z 1693; FOF [FOF 0007159] • same data as for preceding; KAG [KAG 188355], VNM. Vernacular name eø ນø ້ ę ຂ ຸ ນກøງOiǝງ En R Khoun Kongleng (meaning: ʻKhoun Kongleng's Melastoma ʼ).	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A74FFC9FE0AC90AFAF9FDD5.taxon	description	Description Deciduous shrubs, up to 2.5 m tall. Twigs terete, densely covered with light pale yellow, lanceolate, ascending bristles when young, older twigs grayish to brown, terete, glabrescent to sparsely covered with bristles; internode 0.4 – 2.4 cm. Leaves opposite, crowded at the top of twigs; lamina ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, (2 –) 3.5 – 8 × (0.5 –) 0.9 – 2.9 cm, length / width ratio 2.8 – 4.1, base obtuse to rounded, rarely cuneate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate, acumen up to 1.5 cm long, adaxial surface grayish green, minutely scabrid with conspicuously abundant elongate wavy spicule-like rows of crystalliferous cells which are typically proximal to long hairs, hairs 0.4 – 1.2 mm long, abaxial surface dull yellowbrown to light yellowish brown, covered with bristles 0.4 – 1.2 mm long on the midrib and longitudinal nerves, and 0.3 – 0.5 mm long on the secondary veins; longitudinal nerves running from base to apex 4 in addition to the midrib, impressed adaxially, prominent abaxially; secondary veins subparallel, 0.8 – 1.5 mm apart, inconspicuous adaxially, slightly prominent abaxially; tertiary veins branching into a conspicuous reticulate network; petioles, slightly concave adaxially, 0.4 – 1.8 cm long, ca 1 mm in diameter, indumentum as in young twigs. Inflorescences terminal cymes of three (rarely five) flowers, or flowers solitary. Pedicels slender, 5 – 10 mm, ca 2.5 mm in diameter, with white fine soft strigose hairs. Bracts two, caducous, dull yellow brown with dark-purple margin, ovate to broadly ovate, 4 – 6 × 2.5 – 5 mm, densely covered with light yellow, lanceolate, appressed bristles except on the dark-purple marginal portion, apex acute. Hypanthium narrowly funnel-shaped or campanulate, 6 – 12 × 6 – 8 mm, densely covered with light pale yellow bristles and dark reddish penicillate emergences, penicillate emergences 0.5 – 2 mm long, stalk of emergences 1 – 1.5 mm long, spaced apart between penicillate emergences, crowned by 40 – 56 bristles; bristles 0.5 – 1.2 mm long; sepals 5, pink to light green to dark purple, narrowly triangular, 8 – 10 × 2 – 2.5 mm, glabrous except for ciliolate margins, apex narrowly attenuate; intersepalar emergences penicillate, 4 – 5 mm long, crowned by 40 – 56 bristles; bristles 0.5 – 1.2 mm long; hypanthium stalk ca 1 mm long, reddish brown. Petals 5, broadly obovate, 24 – 30 × 20 – 26 mm, purple, glabrous on both surfaces except for a few bristles near the apex, apex broadly obtuse. Stamens anisomorphic comprising 5 longer stamens and 5 shorter stamens; longer stamens 35 – 42 mm long; filaments 17 – 30 mm long, yellowish; anthers 8 – 12 mm long, pale purple, connectives 10 – 15 mm long, strongly incurved, with a yellow basal bifurcate extension, glabrous; shorter stamens 20 – 22 mm long; filaments 14 – 18 mm long, yellowish; anther 8 – 9 mm long, linear-rostrate, pale purple; connective not prolonged, with a yellow basal bifurcate extension, glabrous. Pistil 32 – 35 mm long; ovary ovoid to ellipsoid, 8 – 10 × 6 – 8 mm, greenish, densely covered with bristles at upper part; style filiform, slightly curved apically, 20 – 25 mm long, glabrous, stigma blunt. Fruits baccate, subglobose to ellipsoid, 9 – 12 × 7 – 9 mm, with persistent hypanthium scales as described above.	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A74FFC9FE0AC90AFAF9FDD5.taxon	distribution	Distribution, habitat and phenology This species is so far known only from the type locality in Phou Hin Poun National Protected Area, Hinboun District, Khammouane Province, central Laos. It grows on an exposed limestone hilltop, where it is associated with Terminalia calamansanai (Blanco) Rolfe (Combretaceae), Phyllanthus mirabilis Müll. Arg. (Phyllanthaceae), Tetrastigma fruticosum Soulad., Phonep. & Tagane (Vitaceae), Falconeria insignis Royle (Euphorbiaceae), Pouzolzia zeylanica var. calcicola Friis & Wilmot-Dear (Urticaceae), Paraboea sp. (Gesneriaceae), Pandanus sp. (Pandanaceae), Dracaena sp. (Asparagaceae), and Aetheolirion stenolobium Forman (Commelinaceae). Flowering is from August to September and fruiting from September to November. The leaves are deciduous from the late dry season in October to the beginning of the rainy season in May.	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A74FFC9FE0AC90AFAF9FDD5.taxon	conservation	Preliminary conservation status Melastoma calcicolum sp. nov. is known only from the type locality, where we observed one population with about 80 mature individuals. Despite being in a protected area, it is slightly exposed to disturbs caused by ecotourism activities such as the construction of restaurants and walkways. The Area of Occupancy (AOO) is 4 km 2. The Extent of Occurrence (EOO) can be regarded as the area of Phou Hin Poun NPA, 500 km 2, as the same type of exposed limestone karst habitat can be seen widely in the NPA, and the species could be locally abundant. Given this situation, it is preliminarily assessed as Endangered (EN) under the IUCN criteria B 2 a, b (iii).	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A74FFC9FE0AC90AFAF9FDD5.taxon	discussion	Notes The penicillate hypanthium emergences are a good character for this species. In Indochina, only M. saigonense and M. orientale have similar hypanthium emergences. However, the new species is easily distinguished from M. saigonense by the characters provided in the diagnosis above, and from M. orientale by its larger flowers. In addition, the habitats of the three species are completely different: M. calcicolum sp. nov. is restricted to exposed limestone rocks, whereas M. saigonense and M. orientale grow on dry or swampy ground, in exposed places with full sun or exposed grasslands (Meyer 2001).	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A73FFCBFE4FC825FAB4F9A2.taxon	description	urn: lsid: ipni. org: names: 77372122 - 1 Figs 2, 3	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A73FFCBFE4FC825FAB4F9A2.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Similar to Melastoma pellegrinianum (H. Boissieu) Karst. Mey., but it differs in having terete young branches (vs. quadrangular in M. pellegrinianum), inflorescences with 2 – 4 flowers (vs. more than 15), hypanthia sparsely covered in bristles with sparse strigose hairs (vs. bristles without strigose hairs).	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A73FFCBFE4FC825FAB4F9A2.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific epithet honors Dr. Phetlasy Souladeth, curator of the FOF herbarium of the National University of Laos, who led our field trips and is an excellent plant taxonomist. She has greatly contributed to elucidating the flora of Laos and has described more than 30 new species and recorded over 100 species to Laos’ flora.	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A73FFCBFE4FC825FAB4F9A2.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype LAOS • Khammouane Province, Khounkham District, The Rock Viewpoint at Phou Pha Marn, limestone karsts; 455 m a. s. l.; 19 Mar. 2024; Tagane et al. Z 1213; holotype FOF [FOF 0007123]; isotypes KAG [KAG 187615], VNM. Paratypes LAOS • Khammouane Province, Khounkham District, The Rock Viewpoint at Phou Pha Marn, limestone karsts; 455 m a. s. l.; 9 Sep. 2024; Tagane et al. Z 1915; FOF [FOF 0006984] • same data as for preceding KAG [KAG 188567], VNM • same locality as for preceding; 2 July 2022, Souladeth et al. PPM 16; FOF; • same locality as for preceding; 454 m a. s. l.; 8 Mar. 2025, S. Tagane et al. Z 2396; FOF [FOF 0007645], KAG [KAG 201118], VNM. Vernacular name eø ນø ້ ęeoi ̊ ດຊ ົ uoi ̻ En R Phetsomphou (meaning: purple diamond’s Melastoma ʼ).	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A73FFCBFE4FC825FAB4F9A2.taxon	description	Description Deciduous shrubs, up to 2.5 m tall. Twigs terete, slightly zigzag, older twigs grayish to brown, glabrous; younger twigs green, sparsely covered with bristles and narrowly linear scales of 1 – 1.5 mm long at the base. Leaves opposite, crowded at the top of twigs, lamina lanceolate, 8 – 12 × 3 – 5.5 cm, base slightly cordate to rounded, margin denticulate, apex acuminate; adaxially surface dark green, covered with white strigose hairs which are longer (0.4 – 1 mm long) and incurved along the margins, abaxially surface light green, sparsely covered with white strigose hairs which are denser on the midrib, longitudinal veins and secondary veins (0.4 – 1.2 mm long); longitudinal nerves running from base to apex, 4 – 6 in addition to the midrib, prominent abaxially; secondary veins subparallel, 4 – 10 mm apart, adaxially inconspicuous, abaxially immersed in the lamina; tertiary veins branching into a conspicuous reticulate network; petioles 2 – 3.5 cm long, ca 1 mm in diameter, covered by strigose hairs of 0.4 – 1.4 m long. Inflorescences cluster on terminal twigs with 2 – 4 flowers. Pedicels slender, 2 – 6 mm, ca 3 mm in diameter, with dark red to brown fine soft strigose hairs. Bracts rosetted, caducous, lanceolate, 6 – 10 × 2 – 3.5 mm, strigose with light green to pink hairs. Hypanthium funnel-shaped, 10 – 15 × 8 – 12 mm, sparsely covered with dense bristles and sparsely strigose hairs, bristles 6 – 12 mm long, up to 0.5 mm wide at the base, apex markedly acuminate, margin entire; sepals 5, broadly triangular to lanceolate, 3 – 3.5 × 4 – 6 mm, apex markedly acuminate, pink to light green, with sparse minute bristles on margins and apex. Petals 5, broadly obovate, 28 – 30 × 20 – 25 mm, purple, with minute bristles on outside surface, apex acute to obtuse. Stamens anisomorphic comprising 5 longer stamens and 5 shorter stamens; longer stamens 40 – 45 mm long; filaments 27 – 35 mm long, yellowish; anthers ca 10 – 12 mm long, purple; connective strongly incurved, 18 – 25 mm long, with a basal bifurcate yellow extension, glabrous; shorter stamens 10 – 15 mm long, filaments yellowish, ca 6 – 10 mm long, linear-rostrate; anthers dark purple, connective not prolonged, with a yellow basal bifurcate extension, glabrous. Pistil ca 35 mm long; ovary ovoid to ellipsoid, 8 – 12 × 5 – 6 mm, greenish, densely covered with bristles from middle part to apex; style filiform, curved apically, 27 – 32 mm long; stigma truncate. Fruits dry capsule, dehiscent, splitting longitudinally from apex, ellipsoid to cup shaped, 10 – 14 × 6 – 8 mm, strigose to glabrescent; seeds numerous, brownish.	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A73FFCBFE4FC825FAB4F9A2.taxon	distribution	Distribution, habitat and phenology Melastoma souladethianum sp. nov. is so far known only from the type locality in Phou Pha Marn limestone karst, Khounkham District, Khammouane Province. It grows in open areas on limestone karst, where it is associated with Sterculia sp. (Malvaceae), Phyllanthus mirabilis Müll. Arg. (Phyllanthaceae), Microchirita sp. (Gesneriaceae), Ficus sp. (Moraceae) and Pentacme siamensis (Miq.) Kurz (Dipterocarpaceae). Flowering is from March to April, and fruiting from May to June. The leaves come out in May at the beginning of the rainy season and fall in January in the middle of the dry season.	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A73FFCBFE4FC825FAB4F9A2.taxon	conservation	Preliminary conservation status To date, we have observed only one population with fewer than 20 mature individuals. Neither seedlings or saplings could be observed, not even during the rainy season. The area of occupancy (AOO) is 4 km 2 and the extent of occurrence (EOO) follows the area of the Phou Pha Marn Karst, which is 32 218 km 2. This species is preliminarily assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) under categories B 2 and D.	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
03FC87CC7A73FFCBFE4FC825FAB4F9A2.taxon	discussion	Notes Melastoma souladethianum sp. nov. blooms from March to May (dry season), before the emergence of its leaves. In contrast, most other species of Melastoma in Laos and the surrounding region flower in the rainy season and into the beginning of dry season from June to the end of October and while in leaf. This specific character might be an adaptation to the survival and reproduction under the severe environment of the limestone karst. Phylogenetic studies including M. souladethianum, sp. nov. with related taxa, as well as ecological studies, including pollination syndromes and seed dispersal strategies, may provide further interesting insights into the reproductive strategy, evolution and speciation of Melastoma.	en	Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Tanaka, Nobuyuki, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Tagane, Shuichiro, Dang, Van-Son, Yamamoto, Takenori, Yamazaki, Kaito, Pham, Quoc Trong, Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Vongthavone, Thyraphon, Phengmala, Kajonesuk, Kongxaisavath, Deuanta, Sengthong, Anousone (2026): Two new species of Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) from Limestone Karst, Khammouane Province, central Laos. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 1-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3141, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3141/14009
