368 Species of Genus Medinilla

Medinilla: A Personal Journey into the World of Showy Tropicals

My name is Ferb Vu, and I’ve always been drawn to the vibrant colors and exotic beauty of tropical flora. Among my many botanical passions, the genus Medinilla holds a special place in my heart. These plants, with their cascading inflorescences and striking foliage, are a testament to the artistry of nature. I first encountered a Medinilla magnifica at a local flower show. Its pendulous pink bracts and clusters of delicate flowers captivated me instantly. I knew then that I had to learn more about this fascinating genus.

A Diverse Genus with Global Reach

Medinilla encompasses a vast array of species, with estimates 368. These evergreen shrubs and epiphytes are native to the Old World tropics, stretching from Africa and Madagascar across southern Asia to the Pacific islands. This geographical diversity contributes to the incredible variety within the genus. While Medinilla magnifica is perhaps the most widely recognized, many other species deserve attention.

1. Medinilla acutialata Pócs & Khoi
2. Medinilla acutissimifolia H.Perrier
3. Medinilla aggregata Bakh.f.
4. Medinilla alata Baker f.
5. Medinilla albida Merr. & L.M.Perry
6. Medinilla allantocalyx Regalado
7. Medinilla alpestris (Jack) Blume
8. Medinilla ambrensis Jum. & H.Perrier
9. Medinilla amplectens Regalado
10. Medinilla amplexicaulis Blume
11. Medinilla amplifolia Merr.
12. Medinilla anamalaiana Sasidh. & Sujanapal
13. Medinilla andasibeensis Jum. & H.Perrier
14. Medinilla andrarangensis Jum. & H.Perrier
15. Medinilla angustifolia Jum. & H.Perrier
16. Medinilla anisophylla Merr.
17. Medinilla ankaizinensis H.Perrier
18. Medinilla annulata C.B.Rob.
19. Medinilla annulifera Ohwi
20. Medinilla antonii Elmer
21. Medinilla apayaoensis Merr.
22. Medinilla apoensis C.B.Rob.
23. Medinilla arboricola F.C.How
24. Medinilla archboldiana A.C.Sm.
25. Medinilla arfakensis Baker f.
26. Medinilla arunachalica G.D.Pal
27. Medinilla ascendens Jum. & H.Perrier
28. Medinilla astronioides Triana
29. Medinilla atroviridis Regalado
30. Medinilla aurantiiflora Elmer
31. Medinilla auriculata Lauterb.
32. Medinilla bakeriana Mansf.
33. Medinilla balakrishnanii Jayanthi, Karthig., Sumathi & Diwakar
34. Medinilla balls-headleyi F.Muell.
35. Medinilla banahaensis Elmer
36. Medinilla baronii Baker
37. Medinilla basaltarum Jum. & H.Perrier
38. Medinilla beamanii Regalado
39. Medinilla beccariana Cogn.
40. Medinilla beddomei C.B.Clarke
41. Medinilla benguetensis Elmer
42. Medinilla berastagiensis Karton.
43. Medinilla bicolor Merr.
44. Medinilla bigradata H.Perrier
45. Medinilla binaria Elmer
46. Medinilla bismarck-ramuensis W.N.Takeuchi
47. Medinilla blumeana Mansf.
48. Medinilla boemiensis Kaneh. & Hatus. ex Ohwi
49. Medinilla botryocarpa Regalado
50. Medinilla bracteata Blume
51. Medinilla brassii Markgr.
52. Medinilla brevipes Merr.
53. Medinilla buennemeyeri Bakh.f.
54. Medinilla cacuminum Jum. & H.Perrier
55. Medinilla calcicola Merr.
56. Medinilla calcicrassa Jum. & H.Perrier
57. Medinilla calelanensis Elmer
58. Medinilla calliantha Merr. & L.M.Perry
59. Medinilla campanulata Jum. & H.Perrier
60. Medinilla capitata Merr.
61. Medinilla cauliflora Hemsl.
62. Medinilla celebica Blume
63. Medinilla cephalantha Merr. & L.M.Perry
64. Medinilla cephalophora Merr.
65. Medinilla ceramensis Bakh.f.
66. Medinilla chapelieri Cogn.
67. Medinilla chermezonii H.Perrier
68. Medinilla clarkei King
69. Medinilla clathrata Bodegom
70. Medinilla clemensiana Regalado
71. Medinilla clementis Merr.
72. Medinilla compressicaulis Merr.
73. Medinilla congesta Merr.
74. Medinilla copelandii Merr.
75. Medinilla corallina Cogn.
76. Medinilla cordata Merr.
77. Medinilla cordifolia Baker ex H.Perrier
78. Medinilla coriacea Merr.
79. Medinilla corneri Regalado
80. Medinilla coronata Regalado
81. Medinilla coursiana H.Perrier
82. Medinilla crassata Elmer
83. Medinilla crassinervia Blume
84. Medinilla crassiuscula Ohwi
85. Medinilla crispata (L.) Blume
86. Medinilla cucullata H.Perrier
87. Medinilla cuernosensis Elmer
88. Medinilla cumingii Naudin
89. Medinilla cuneata (Thwaites) K.Bremer & Lundin
90. Medinilla curranii Merr.
91. Medinilla curtisii Veitch
92. Medinilla cymosa Jum. & H.Perrier
93. Medinilla dallciana Fernando & Balete
94. Medinilla danumensis Regalado
95. Medinilla decaryi H.Perrier
96. Medinilla decora A.C.Sm.
97. Medinilla dentata Veldkamp
98. Medinilla disparifolia C.B.Rob.
99. Medinilla divaricata Baker
100. Medinilla diversifolia Kaneh.
101. Medinilla dolichophylla Merr.
102. Medinilla elegans Elmer
103. Medinilla endertii Regalado
104. Medinilla engganensis Bakh.f.
105. Medinilla engleri Gilg
106. Medinilla ericarum Jum. & H.Perrier
107. Medinilla ericoidea Steenis
108. Medinilla erpetina Triana
109. Medinilla erythrotricha Elmer
110. Medinilla exigua Merr. & L.M.Perry
111. Medinilla eximia (Jack) Blume
112. Medinilla falcata H.Perrier
113. Medinilla fasciculata Baker
114. Medinilla fasciculiflora Ohwi
115. Medinilla fengii (S.Y.Hu) C.Y.Wu & C.Chen
116. Medinilla fenicis Merr.
117. Medinilla ferruginea Merr.
118. Medinilla ferruginescens Ohwi
119. Medinilla flagellifera Jum. & H.Perrier
120. Medinilla forbesii Baker f.
121. Medinilla formosana Hayata
122. Medinilla fragilis Regalado
123. Medinilla frodinii Bodegom
124. Medinilla fuchsioides Gardner
125. Medinilla furfuracea Merr.
126. Medinilla glandulosa Bodegom
127. Medinilla glomerata Jum. & H.Perrier
128. Medinilla gracilis Veldkamp
129. Medinilla grandifolia Bodegom
130. Medinilla griffithii C.B.Clarke
131. Medinilla halconensis Merr.
132. Medinilla halogeton S.Moore
133. Medinilla hayatana H.Keng
134. Medinilla hellwigiana Mansf.
135. Medinilla heteromorphophylla Guillaumin
136. Medinilla heterophylla A.Gray
137. Medinilla hexamera Baker f.
138. Medinilla himalayana Hook.f. ex Triana
139. Medinilla hollrungiana Mansf.
140. Medinilla homoeandra (Stapf) M.P.Nayar
141. Medinilla honbaensis Guillaumin
142. Medinilla humbertiana H.Perrier
143. Medinilla humblotii Cogn.
144. Medinilla humilis Teijsm. & Binn.
145. Medinilla hypericifolia Blume
146. Medinilla ibityensis H.Perrier
147. Medinilla inaequifolia C.B.Rob.
148. Medinilla insignis Mansf.
149. Medinilla interiaciens Bodegom
150. Medinilla intermedia Blume
151. Medinilla ivohibeensis H.Perrier
152. Medinilla johnii Kottaim.
153. Medinilla kajewskii Merr. & L.M.Perry
154. Medinilla kambikambi A.C.Sm.
155. Medinilla kandavuensis A.C.Sm.
156. Medinilla kanehirae Ohwi
157. Medinilla kaniensis Mansf.
158. Medinilla kinabaluensis Regalado
159. Medinilla korinchensis Ridl.
160. Medinilla lagunae S.Vidal
161. Medinilla lanceolata Baker
162. Medinilla lancifolia Merr. & L.M.Perry
163. Medinilla lasioclados Stapf
164. Medinilla lateralis Merr.
165. Medinilla latericia Regalado
166. Medinilla laurifolia Blume
167. Medinilla lauterbachiana Mansf.
168. Medinilla laxiflora Ridl.
169. Medinilla ledermannii Mansf.
170. Medinilla lemurum H.Perrier
171. Medinilla lenticellata Bodegom
172. Medinilla leptophylla Baker
173. Medinilla leucantha Merr. & L.M.Perry
174. Medinilla leytensis Merr.
175. Medinilla linearifolia Baker
176. Medinilla longicymosa Gibbs
177. Medinilla longifila Jum. & H.Perrier
178. Medinilla longifolia Cogn.
179. Medinilla longipedunculata Cogn.
180. Medinilla lophoclada Baker
181. Medinilla loranthoides Naudin
182. Medinilla lordbergiana Mansf.
183. Medinilla lorentziana Mansf.
184. Medinilla luraluensis Merr. & L.M.Perry
185. Medinilla macrophylla Blume
186. Medinilla macrophyma Jum. & H.Perrier
187. Medinilla maculata Gardner
188. Medinilla madagascariensis Kottaim.
189. Medinilla magnifica Lindl.
190. Medinilla maidenii F.Muell.
191. Medinilla malabarica Bedd. & C.E.C.Fisch.
192. Medinilla malaboensis Bakh.f.
193. Medinilla malabrigoi Z.D.Meneses, Adorador & Quakenbush
194. Medinilla malindangensis Merr.
195. Medinilla maluensis Mansf.
196. Medinilla mandrakensis H.Perrier
197. Medinilla mannii Hook.f.
198. Medinilla mansfeldiana Merr. & L.M.Perry
199. Medinilla markgrafii Merr. & L.M.Perry
200. Medinilla masoalensis Jum. & H.Perrier
201. Medinilla matitanensis Jum. & H.Perrier
202. Medinilla matthewii Ridl.
203. Medinilla mearnsii Merr.
204. Medinilla medinillana (Gaudich.) Fosberg & Sachet
205. Medinilla megacalyx Merr.
206. Medinilla membranacea Merr.
207. Medinilla merguiensis C.B.Clarke
208. Medinilla merrittii Merr.
209. Medinilla micrantha Jum. & H.Perrier
210. Medinilla micranthera H.Perrier
211. Medinilla microcephala Regalado
212. Medinilla mindorensis Merr.
213. Medinilla miniata Merr.
214. Medinilla minutibracteata Bodegom
215. Medinilla minutifolia Bodegom
216. Medinilla mirabile (Gilg) Jacq.-Fél.
217. Medinilla montana Cogn.
218. Medinilla montisaping Regalado
219. Medinilla mortonii Hemsl.
220. Medinilla mucronata Koord. ex Bakh.f.
221. Medinilla multialata Quisumb. & Merr.
222. Medinilla multibracteata Bodegom
223. Medinilla multiflora Merr.
224. Medinilla multinervia Merr.
225. Medinilla muricata Blume
226. Medinilla musofo K.Schum. & Lauterb.
227. Medinilla myrtiformis (Naudin) Triana
228. Medinilla nabirensis Karton.
229. Medinilla nana S.Y.Hu
230. Medinilla napiformis Bakh.f.
231. Medinilla nodosa Fosberg
232. Medinilla novoguineensis Baker f.
233. Medinilla oblanceolata Merr.
234. Medinilla oblongifolia Cogn.
235. Medinilla obovata Merr.
236. Medinilla obreensis Mansf.
237. Medinilla occidentalis Naudin
238. Medinilla ovalifolia (A.Gray) A.C.Sm.
239. Medinilla ovalis Merr.
240. Medinilla ovata Jum. & H.Perrier
241. Medinilla pachygona C.B.Rob.
242. Medinilla pachyphylla Jum. & H.Perrier
243. Medinilla palawanensis Regalado
244. Medinilla panayensis Merr.
245. Medinilla paniculata Mansf.
246. Medinilla papillosa Baker
247. Medinilla papuana Scheff.
248. Medinilla papulosa Ohwi
249. Medinilla parva Merr.
250. Medinilla parvibractea Merr.
251. Medinilla patens Ridl.
252. Medinilla pauciflora Hook.f. ex Triana
253. Medinilla pedunculosa Ohwi ex Regalado
254. Medinilla peekelii Mansf.
255. Medinilla pellita Veldkamp & Karton.
256. Medinilla peltata Merr.
257. Medinilla pendens Ridl.
258. Medinilla pendula Merr.
259. Medinilla penduliflora Ridl.
260. Medinilla perakensis King
261. Medinilla perrieri Veldkamp & Karton.
262. Medinilla petelotii Merr.
263. Medinilla pinnatinervia Merr.
264. Medinilla plumosa Mansf.
265. Medinilla polillensis C.B.Rob.
266. Medinilla porphyrandra Ridl.
267. Medinilla prostrata Jum. & H.Perrier
268. Medinilla pterocaula Blume
269. Medinilla pubiflora Merr. & L.M.Perry
270. Medinilla pulleana Mansf.
271. Medinilla punicea Bodegom
272. Medinilla purpurea Elmer ex Merr.
273. Medinilla pycnantha Quisumb. & Merr.
274. Medinilla quadrangularis Jum. & H.Perrier
275. Medinilla quadrialata Ohwi ex Regalado
276. Medinilla quadrifolia (Blume) Blume
277. Medinilla quartzitarum Jum. & H.Perrier
278. Medinilla quintuplinervis Cogn.
279. Medinilla racemosa H.St.John
280. Medinilla radicans (Blume) Blume
281. Medinilla radiciflora Quisumb. & Merr.
282. Medinilla ramiflora Merr.
283. Medinilla rhodochlaena A.Gray
284. Medinilla rhodorhachis Baker f.
285. Medinilla richardsii Regalado
286. Medinilla ridleyi Merr.
287. Medinilla robinsonii Elmer
288. Medinilla robusticaulis Bakh.f.
289. Medinilla rotundiflora H.Perrier
290. Medinilla rubella H.Perrier
291. Medinilla rubescens Merr. & L.M.Perry
292. Medinilla rubicunda (Jack) Blume
293. Medinilla rubiginosa Cogn.
294. Medinilla rubrifrons Regalado
295. Medinilla rubrifructus Ohwi
296. Medinilla rubrinervis Jum. & H.Perrier ex Cordem.
297. Medinilla rubrovenia Baker f.
298. Medinilla rufescens Regalado
299. Medinilla rufopilosa Ohwi ex Regalado
300. Medinilla sahyadrica Sujanapal & Sasidh.
301. Medinilla salicifolia Blume
302. Medinilla salicina Ohwi ex Regalado
303. Medinilla samoensis (Hochr.) Christoph.
304. Medinilla sarcorhiza Cogn.
305. Medinilla schlechteri Mansf.
306. Medinilla schraderbergensis Mansf.
307. Medinilla schumanniana Mansf.
308. Medinilla scortechinii King
309. Medinilla sedifolia Jum. & H.Perrier
310. Medinilla selangorensis J.F.Maxwell
311. Medinilla sessiliflora Regalado
312. Medinilla sessilifolia Merr.
313. Medinilla sessilis Merr. & L.M.Perry
314. Medinilla setiflora Bodegom
315. Medinilla setigera (Blume) Miq.
316. Medinilla simplicymosa Malabrigo, A.G.Umali & A.B.Tobias
317. Medinilla sogeriensis Baker f.
318. Medinilla spectabilis A.C.Sm.
319. Medinilla sphaerocarpa Hochr.
320. Medinilla squillula Veldkamp
321. Medinilla stenobotrys Merr.
322. Medinilla stephanostegia Stapf
323. Medinilla subalata Baker f.
324. Medinilla subauriculata Regalado
325. Medinilla subcordata Cogn.
326. Medinilla suberosa Regalado
327. Medinilla subviridis A.C.Sm.
328. Medinilla succulenta (Blume) Blume
329. Medinilla sulcata Quisumb. & Merr.
330. Medinilla surigaoensis Regalado
331. Medinilla tapete-magicum Cámara-Leret & Veldkamp
332. Medinilla tayabensis Merr.
333. Medinilla tenuicaulis Ridl.
334. Medinilla tenuipedicellata Baker f.
335. Medinilla tenuipes Merr.
336. Medinilla ternatensis Miq.
337. Medinilla ternifolia Triana
338. Medinilla tetragona Cogn.
339. Medinilla tetraptera Ohwi
340. Medinilla teysmannii Miq.
341. Medinilla theresae Fernando
342. Medinilla torrentum Jum. & H.Perrier
343. Medinilla torricellensis Mansf.
344. Medinilla triangularis Jum. & H.Perrier
345. Medinilla trinervia Cogn.
346. Medinilla triochiton Bodegom
347. Medinilla triplinervia Cogn.
348. Medinilla tsinjoarivensis H.Perrier
349. Medinilla tuberosa Jum. & H.Perrier
350. Medinilla tulagiensis Merr. & L.M.Perry
351. Medinilla ultramaficola Quakenbush, Y.P.Ang & R.Bustam.
352. Medinilla umbellata Merr.
353. Medinilla umbrina Elmer
354. Medinilla uncidens Jum. & H.Perrier
355. Medinilla uninervis Veldkamp
356. Medinilla urophylla Stapf
357. Medinilla vagans Merr. & L.M.Perry
358. Medinilla varingoidea Bakh.f.
359. Medinilla venosa (Blume) Blume
360. Medinilla venusta King
361. Medinilla vexillifera C.W.Lin & Rubite
362. Medinilla viguieri H.Perrier
363. Medinilla viscoides Triana
364. Medinilla vohipararensis Jum. & H.Perrier
365. Medinilla warica Mansf.
366. Medinilla waterhousei Seem.
367. Medinilla whitfordii Merr.
368. Medinilla zoster Veldkamp

More Than Just Pretty Flowers

While the vibrant blooms of Medinilla are undeniably their most eye-catching feature, the foliage also contributes to their appeal. The leaves are often large and leathery, with prominent veins that add texture and visual interest. In some species, the leaves themselves take on a reddish hue, further enhancing the plant’s overall beauty. Beyond their aesthetic value, Medinilla plays an essential role in their native ecosystems. The flowers attract pollinators such as bees and birds, while the fruits provide a food source for various animals. In some cultures, Medinilla has traditional medicinal uses. For instance, Medinilla speciosa is used in traditional Indonesian medicine to treat ailments like diarrhea and dysentery.

Cultivation and Conservation

Growing Medinilla can be a rewarding experience, though it requires some understanding of their specific needs. As tropical plants, they thrive in warm, humid environments with bright, indirect light. Proper watering and fertilization are crucial for their health and flowering. Unfortunately, habitat loss due to deforestation and human encroachment threatens several Medinilla species. Conservation efforts are underway to protect these botanical treasures and ensure their survival for future generations. Supporting sustainable nurseries and botanical gardens that specialize in Medinilla cultivation is one way to contribute to their preservation.

A Continuing Fascination

My journey with Medinilla is an ongoing exploration. I continue to be amazed by the diversity and beauty of this genus. Whether I’m admiring a mature Medinilla magnifica in full bloom or nurturing a young seedling, these plants bring me joy and a sense of connection to the natural world. I encourage everyone to discover the captivating world of Medinilla. These plants are a testament to the beauty and resilience of nature, and they deserve our admiration and protection.