Confirmation of this identification, for me, comes with this section of the article linked above: – quotation: " Both Australian species have obscurely ciliate calyx lobes, entire in all other species. _P. papuana_ Kunth. is probably the most closely related species, clearly distinguished by the buttressed trunks, much larger leaves (to 19 × 8 cm) with prominent midribs below; green (v. white) petals, and long staminal tube 10–15mm (v. 4–11 mm) long. " .
Furthermore not a species of the genus _Barringtonia_ .
Note: • We can see the cilia along the margins of the calyx lobes in looking closely at this sighting's photographs in their full resolution . • The outer sides of the petals of all three species may have green or green-ish colour; yet the Au _Planchonia careya_ and _Planchonia rupestris_ have white insides of the petals. (In these three photographs we don't see the insides of the petals).
Reading this: Barrett, Russell L. (2006 April 28) A review of _Planchonia_ (Lecythidaceae) in Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 19 (2) : 147–153 . → https://doi.org/10.1071/SB05008
Including considering different genera in this botanical family Lecythidaceae and three spp. in this genus _Planchonia_, including the New Guinea known species _Planchonia papuana_ which this article's introduction says has green petals like these photographs, rather than white petals in _Planchonia careya_ and _Planchonia rupestris_ . .
Senior botanist Trevor Whiffin in 1990 in the Flora of Au vol. 18 page 248, wrote: " A very variable species, even within Australia. Variation can be seen in the size, shape and density of the scales on the hypanthium, the size and shape of the calyx lobes and of the floral bracts, and the size and general pubescence of the leaves.
Some of these characters are used to distinguish species within the genus.
_Melastoma malabathricum_ is generally distinguished by the large floral bracts. Despite the variation within _M. affine_, it does remain distinct from _M. malabathricum_.
Some plants within Australia, which have their hypanthium densely covered with slightly longer scales, approach _M. lanuginosum_ Blume, but appear to remain distinct.
A thorough revision of these and other related species throughout their range is needed to fully settle the species limits. ". → https://www.dcceew.gov.au/science-research/abrs/publications/flora-of-australia/vol18 .
My reading of all this information suggests too, that Trevor Whiffin's then 1990 point of view may have become out of date.
I may still lack further information on this topic hence incorrect in my point of view.
Indeed as Trevor Whiffin wrote in 1990 and does remain so correct on this point, I share in my own humble point of view:
we all require the information of a thorough revision of these plants' taxa throughout each of their respective global ranges .
