Melastomataceae

Characteristic venation of many melastomes

Osbeckia muralis in Kerala

Melastomataceae (Template:IPAc-en) is a family of dicotyledonous flowering plants found mostly in the tropics (two-thirds of the genera are from the New World tropics) comprising c. 175 genera and c. 5115 known species.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref name="Christenhusz-Byng2016">Template:Cite journal</ref> Melastomes are annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, or small trees.

Description

The leaves of melastomes are somewhat distinctive, being opposite, decussate, and usually with 3-7 longitudinal veins arising either from the base of the blade, plinerved (inner veins diverging above base of blade), or pinnately nerved with three or more pairs of primary veins diverging from the mid-vein at successive points above the base.

Flowers are perfect, and borne either singly or in terminal or axillary, paniculate cymes.

Ecology

A number of melastomes are regarded as invasive species once naturalized in tropical and subtropical environments outside their normal range. Examples are Koster's curse (Clidemia hirta), Pleroma semidecandrum and Miconia calvescens, but many other species are involved.

Taxonomy

Under the APG III system of classification, the seven genera from Memecylaceae are now included in this family.<ref name="apgiii">Template:Citation</ref>

Genera

There are some 169 accepted genera in the Melastomataceae family as of July 2025. They are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col

• Acanthella Template:Small
• Aciotis Template:Small
• Acisanthera Template:Small
• Adelobotrys Template:Small
• Allomaieta Template:Small
• Alloneuron Template:Small
• Almedanthus Template:Small
• Amphiblemma Template:Small
• Amphorocalyx Template:Small
• Anaheterotis Template:Small
• Andesanthus Template:Small
• Anerincleistus Template:Small
• Antherotoma Template:Small
• Appendicularia Template:Small
• Argyrella Template:Small
• Arthrostemma Template:Small
• Aschistanthera Template:Small
• Astrocalyx Template:Small
• Astronia Template:Small
• Astronidium Template:Small
• Axinaea Template:Small
• Bamlera Template:Small
• Barthea Template:Small
• Beccarianthus Template:Small
• Bellucia Template:Small
• Benna Template:Small
• Bertolonia Template:Small
• Bisglaziovia Template:Small
• Blakea Template:Small
• Blastus Template:Small
• Boerlagea Template:Small
• Bourdaria Template:Small
• Boyania Template:Small
• Brachyotum Template:Small
• Brasilianthus Template:Small
• Bredia Template:Small
• Bucquetia Template:Small
• Cailliella Template:Small
• Calvoa Template:Small
• Cambessedesia Template:Small
• Castratella Template:Small
• Catanthera Template:Small
• Centradenia Template:Small
• Centradeniastrum Template:Small
• Centronia Template:Small
• Chaetogastra Template:Small
• Chaetolepis Template:Small
• Chalybea Template:Small
• Cincinnobotrys Template:Small
• Comolia Template:Small
• Comoliopsis Template:Small
• Creochiton Template:Small
• Cyphotheca Template:Small
• Dalenia Template:Small
• Derosiphia Template:Small
• Desmoscelis Template:Small
• Dicellandra Template:Small
• Dichaetanthera Template:Small
• Dinophora Template:Small
• Dionycha Template:Small
• Dionychastrum Template:Small
• Diplectria Template:Small
• Dissochaeta Template:Small
• Dissotidendron Template:Small
• Dissotis Template:Small
• Driessenia Template:Small
• Dupineta Template:Small
• Eleotis Template:Small
• Eriocnema Template:Small
• Ernestia Template:Small
• Feliciadamia Template:Small
• Feliciotis Template:Small
• Fordiophyton Template:Small
• Fritzschia Template:Small
• Graffenrieda Template:Small
• Gravesia Template:Small
• Guyonia Template:Small
• Henriettea Template:Small
• Heteroblemma Template:Small
• Heterocentron Template:Small
• Heterotis Template:Small
• Huberia Template:Small
• Kendrickia Template:Small
• Kerriothyrsus Template:Small
• Kirkbridea Template:Small
• Lijndenia Template:Small
• Lithobium Template:Small
• Loricalepis Template:Small
• Macairea Template:Small
• Macrocentrum Template:Small
• Macrolenes Template:Small
• Maguireanthus Template:Small
• Mallophyton Template:Small
• Marcetia Template:Small
• Medinilla Template:Small
• Melastoma Template:Small
• †Melastomites<ref name="LaMotte52">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Melastomastrum Template:Small
• Memecylon Template:Small
• Mendelia Template:Small
• Meriania Template:Small
• Merianthera Template:Small
• Miconia Template:Small
• Microlicia Template:Small
• Monochaetum Template:Small
• Monolena Template:Small
• Mouriri Template:Small
• Neblinanthera Template:Small
• Neodriessenia Template:Small
• Nephoanthus Template:Small
• Nepsera Template:Small
• Nerophila Template:Small
• Noterophila Mart.
• Nothodissotis Template:Small
• Ochthephilus Template:Small
• Ochthocharis Template:Small
• Opisthocentra Template:Small
• Osbeckia Template:Small
• Ossaea Template:Small
• Oxyspora Template:Small
• Pachycentria Template:Small
• Pachyloma Template:Small
• Perilimnastes Template:Small
• Phainantha Template:Small
• Phyllagathis Template:Small
• Physeterostemon Template:Small
• Pilocosta Template:Small
• Plagiopetalum Template:Small
• Pleroma Template:Small
• Plethiandra Template:Small
• Poikilogyne Template:Small
• Poilannammia Template:Small
• Poteranthera Template:Small
• Preussiella Template:Small
• Pseudodissochaeta Template:Small
• Pseudoernestia Template:Small
• Pternandra Template:Small
• Pterogastra Template:Small
• Pterolepis Template:Small
• Pyrotis Template:Small
• Quipuanthus Template:Small
• Rhexia Template:Small
• Rhynchanthera Template:Small
• Rosettea Template:Small
• Rostranthera Template:Small
• Rousseauxia Template:Small
• Salpinga Template:Small
• Sandemania Template:Small
• Sarcopyramis Template:Small
• Schwackaea Template:Small
• Scorpiothyrsus Template:Small
• Siphanthera Template:Small
• Sonerila Template:Small
• Spathandra Template:Small
• Sporoxeia Template:Small
• Stanmarkia Template:Small
• Stussenia Template:Small
• Styrophyton Template:Small
• Tashiroea Template:Small
• Tateanthus Template:Small
• Tessmannianthus Template:Small
• Tibouchina Template:Small
• Tigridiopalma Template:Small
• Triolena Template:Small
• Tristemma Template:Small
• Tryssophyton Template:Small
• Vietsenia Template:Small
• Votomita Template:Small
• Warneckea Template:Small
• Wurdastom Template:Small

Foraging

Melastomataceae is foraged by many stingless bees, especially by the species Melipona bicolor which gather pollen from this taxon of flowering plant.<ref>Hilário, S. D., and V. L. Imperatriz-Fonseca. "Pollen foraging in colonies of Melipona bicolor (Apidae, Meliponini): effects of season, colony size and queen number." Genetics and Molecular Research 8.2 (2009): 664-671.</ref>Template:Clarify

External links

• PlantSystematics.org: Images of species, list of generaTemplate:Dead link
• Template:Cite journal