The family Melastomataceae (alternatively Melastomaceae) is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plant

Flowering plant

The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...

s found mostly in the tropics (two thirds of the genera are from the New World tropics) comprising some 200 genera and 4500 species. Melastomes are annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, or small tree

Tree

A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...

s.

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

Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...

.

A number of melastomes are regarded as invasive species

Invasive species

"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....

 once naturalized in tropical and subtropical environments outside of their normal range. Examples are Koster's curse

Clidemia hirta

Clidemia hirta, commonly called soapbush or Koster's Curse, is a perennial shrub.It is an invasive plant species in many tropical regions of the world, creating serious damage.-Distribution:...

 and Miconia calvescens

Miconia calvescens

The velvet tree, miconia, or bush currant is a species of flowering plant in the family Melastomataceae. It is native to Mexico and Central and South America but is best known for being arguably the worst invasive plant in Hawaii, where it is commonly referred to as the "purple plague", and...

, but many other species are involved.

Genera

• Acanthella
  Acanthella
  Acanthella is a genus of two species in the family Melastomataceae, native to tropical South America.Species*Acanthella pulchra Gleason. Venezuela*Acanthella sprucei Hook. f. Brazil-References:...
  
  
• Aciotis
  Aciotis
  Aciotis is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species:* Aciotis aristellata* Aciotis asplundii...
  
  
• Acisanthera
• †Acrovena
• Adelobotrys
  Adelobotrys
  Adelobotrys is a genus of plant in the family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Adelobotrys panamensis, Almeda...
  
  
• Allomaieta
• Allomorphia
• Alloneuron
  Alloneuron
  Alloneuron is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Alloneuron dorrii, Wurdack* Alloneuron ecuadorense, Wurdack...
  
  
• Amphiblemma
  Amphiblemma
  Amphiblemma is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Amphiblemma amoenum, Jacques-Felix...
  
  
• Amphitoma
• Amphorocalyx
• Anaectocalyx
• Anerincleistus
• Antherotoma
• Appendicularia
  Appendicularia (melastome)
  Appendicularia DC. is a botanic genus of the family Melastomataceae.- Species :The genus has two species:* Appendicularia entomophila* Appendicularia thymifolia- References :...
  
  
• Arthrostemma
• Aschistanthera
• Astrocalyx
• Astronia
• Astronidium
  Astronidium
  Astronidium is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Astronidium degeneri, A.C. Smith* Astronidium floribundum, A.C. Smith...
  
  
• Axinaea
  Axinaea
  Axinaea is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Axinaea merianiae, Triana* Axinaea nitida, Cogn.* Axinaea pauciflora, Cogn.* Axinaea quitensis, Benoist* Axinaea sclerophylla, Triana...
  
  
• Barthea
• Beccarianthus
• Behuria
• Bellucia
• Benevidesia
• Bertolonia
  Bertolonia
  Bertolonia is a genus consisting of 14 species of pretty, dwarf, creeping, tender perennials, native to tropical South America. These herbacous plants are grown for their colorful, velvety, ornamental foliages, vary from shimmery white with purple, pink with purple, or bronze-green with carmine and...
  
  
• Bisglaziovia
• Blakea
  Blakea
  Blakea is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Blakea acostae, Wurdack* Blakea brunnea, Gleason* Blakea campii, Wurdack* Blakea eriocalyx, Wurdack* Blakea formicaria, Wurdack...
  
  
• Blastus
• Boerlagea
• Boyania
• Brachyotum
  Brachyotum
  Brachyotum is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Brachyotum alpinum, Cogn.* Brachyotum azuayense, Wurdack* Brachyotum benthamianum, Triana* Brachyotum campii, Wurdack...
  
  
• Brachypremna
• Bredia
• Brittenia
• Bucquetia
  Bucquetia
  Bucquetia is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Bucquetia nigritella, Triana...
  
  
• Cailliella
• Calvoa
• Calycogonium
• Cambessedesia
• Campimia
• Carionia
• Castratella
• Catanthera
• Catocoryne
• Centradenia
  Centradenia
  Centradenia is a genus of 4-5 species of tropical evergreen perennials or subshrubs, native to Central America and Mexico.-Description:Centradenia spp. branches are angled or winged and the stems are often colored. The leaves are lanceolate or ovate, pointy, simple and opposite with well-defined...
  
  
• Centradeniastrum
• Centronia
  Centronia
  Centronia is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Centronia brachycera, Triana* Centronia laurifolia, D. Don* Centronia mutisii, Triana* Centronia peruviana, J. F. Macbr....
  
  
• Chaetolepis
• Chaetostoma
• Chalybea
• Charianthus
• Cincinnobotrys
• Clidemia
  Clidemia
  Clidemia is a genus of flowering plants in the glory bush family, Melastomataceae. It contains about 450 species, the best known being C. hirta . The generic name honours Ancient Greek author Cleidemus.-Species:*C. ablusa...
  
  
• Comolia
• Comoliopsis
• Conostegia
• Copedesma
• Creaghiella
• Creochiton
• Cryptophysa
• Cyanandrium
• Cyphostyla
• Cyphotheca
• Dalenia
• Desmoscelis
• Dicellandra
• Dicerospermum
• Dichaetanthera
• Dinophora
• Dionycha
• Dionychastrum
• Diplarpea
• Diplectria
• Dissochaeta
• Dissotis
• Dolichoura
• Driessenia
• Eisocreochiton
• Enaulophyton
• Eriocnema
• Ernestia
• Farringtonia
• Feliciadamia
• Felliciadamia
• Fordiophyton
• Fritzchia
• Graffenrieda
• Gravesia
• Guyonia
• Henriettea
  Henriettea
  Henriettea is a flowering plant genus in the family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Henriettea granularis* Henriettea granulata O.Berg & Triana* Henriettea membranifolia* Henriettea punctata* Henriettea squamata...
  
  
• Henriettella
  Henriettella
  Henriettella is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Henriettella goudotiana, Naudin* Henriettella ininensis, Wurdack* Henriettella odorata, Markgr....
  
  
• Heterocentron
• Heterotis
• Heterotrichum
• Huberia
• Huilaea
  Huilaea
  Huilaea is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Huilaea ecuadorensis, Wurdack* Huilaea kirkbridei, Wurdack* Huilaea macrocarpa, L.Uribe* Huilaea minor, Lozano & N.Ruiz...
  
  
• Hylocharis
• Hypenanthe
• Kendrickia
• Kerriothyrsus
• Killipia
• Kirkbridea
• Lavoisiera
• Leandra
  Leandra
  Leandra is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Leandra pastazana, Wurdack* Leandra subseriata, Cogn....
  
  
• Lijndenia
  Lijndenia
  Lijndenia is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Lijndenia brenanii, Jacq.Fl.* Lijndenia greenwayii, Borhidi...
  
  
• Lithobium
• Llewelynia
• Loreya
• Loricalepis
• Macairea
• Macrocentrum
• Macrolenes
• Maguireanthus
• Maieta
• Mallophyton
• Marcetia
• Mecranium
• Medinilla
  Medinilla
  Medinilla is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants in the family Melastomataceae, native to tropical regions of the Old World from Africa east through Madagascar and southern Asia to the western Pacific Ocean islands. The genus was named after J. de Medinilla, governor of the Mariana...
  
  
• Meiandra
• Melastoma
  Melastoma
  Melastoma is a genus in the family Melastomataceae. It has about 50 species distributed around Southeast Asia, India, and Australia. It is undergoing taxonomic revision. Many species have been planted around the world for the aesthetic value of their bright purple flowers...
  
  
• Melastomastrum
• Memecylon
  Memecylon
  Memecylon is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Memecylon arnottianum, Wight ex Thwaites* Memecylon bequaertii, De Wild.* Memecylon candidum, Gilg* Memecylon cinereum, King* Memecylon clarkeanum, Cogn....
  
  
• Menendezia
• Meriania
  Meriania
  Meriania is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Meriania acostae, Wurdack* Meriania almedae, Wurdack* Meriania ampla, Wurdack* Meriania amplexicaulis, Wurdack* Meriania campii, Wurdack...
  
  
• Merianthera
• Miconia
  Miconia
  Miconia is a genus of flowering plants in the glory bush family, Melastomataceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species are mostly shrubs and small to medium-sized trees up to 15 m tall...
  
  
• Microlepis
• Microlicia
• Mommsenia
• Monochaetum
  Monochaetum
  Monochaetum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Melastomataceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species are mostly shrubs and small to medium-sized trees....
  
  
• Monolena
• Mouriri
  Mouriri
  Mouriri is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Mouriri completens, Burret* Mouriri gleasoniana, Standl.* Mouriri laxiflora, Morley* Mouriri panamensis, Morley...
  
  
• Myriaspora
• Myrmidone
• Neblinanthera
• Necramium
• Neodriessenia
• Nepsera
• Nerophila
• Ochthephilus
• Ochthocharis
• Omphalopus
• Opisthocentra
• Oritrephes
• Orthogoneuron
• Osbeckia
  Osbeckia
  Osbeckia is a genus of plants in the family Melastomataceae. It was named by Carolus Linnaeus for the Swedish explorer and naturalist Pehr Osbeck .-Dsitribution:...
  
  
• Ossaea
  Ossaea
  Ossaea is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Ossaea boekei, Wurdack* Ossaea incerta, Wurdack* Ossaea palenquensis, Wurdack* Ossaea sparrei, Wurdack...
  
  
• Otanthera
• Oxyspora
• Pachyanthus
  Pachyanthus
  Pachyanthus is a thorney shrub with edible berries in the genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Pachyanthus pedicellatus, Urban...
  
  
• Pachycentria
• Pachyloma
• Pentossaea
• Phainantha
• Phainanthe
• Phyllagathis
• Pilocosta
• Plagiopetalum
• Pleiochiton
• Plethiandra
• Podocaelia
• Pogonanthera
• Poikilogyne
• Poilannammia
• Poteranthera
• Preussiella
• Pseudodissochaeta
• Pseudoernestia
• Pseudosbeckia
• Pternandra
• Pterogastra
• Pterolepis (Pterolepsis?)
• Rhexia
  Rhexia
  Rhexia is a genus of plants in the Melastomataceae family. Like many other flowers in that family, Rhexia virginica is buzz pollinated and has yellow stamens which change color following the first day of flowering...
  
  
• Rhynchanthera
• Rousseauxia
• Sagraea (?)
• Salpinga
• Sandemania
• Sarcopyramis
• Schwackaea
• Scorpiothyrsus
• Siphanthera
• Sonerila
• Spathandra
  Spathandra
  Spathandra is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Spathandra barteri, Hook.f....
  
  
• Sporoxeia
• Stanmarkia
• Stapfiophyton
• Stenodon
• Stussenia
• Styrophyton
• Sussenia
• Svitramia
• Tateanthus
• Tayloriophyton
• Tessmannianthus
  Tessmannianthus
  Tessmannianthus is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Tessmannianthus calcaratus, Wurdack* Tessmannianthus carinatus, Almeda* Tessmannianthus cenepensis, Wurdack* Tessmannianthus cereifolius, Almeda...
  
  
• Tetraphyllaster
• Tetrazygia
  Tetrazygia
  Tetrazygia is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Tetrazygia albicans, Triana* Tetrazygia bicolor* Tetrazygia elegans, Urban...
  
  
• Tibouchina
  Tibouchina
  Tibouchina is a genus of about 350 species of neotropical plants in the family Melastomataceae. They are trees, shrubs or subshrubs growing 0.5–25 m tall, and are known as glory bushes or glory trees. They are native to rainforests of Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America, especially Brazil...
  
  
• Tibouchinopsis
• Tigridiopalma
• Tococa
• Topobea
  Topobea
  Topobea is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Topobea asplundii, Wurdack* Topobea brevibractea, Gleason* Topobea cutucuensis, Wurdack...
  
  
• Trembleya
• Trigynia
• Triolena
  Triolena
  Triolena is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Triolena asplundii, Wurdack* Triolena campii, Wurdack* Triolena pedemontana, Wurdack...
  
  
• Tristemma
• Tryssophyton
• Tylanthera
• Vietsenia
• Votomita
• Warneckea
  Warneckea
  Warneckea is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae. It contains the following species :* Warneckea memecyloides, H.Jacques-Felix* Warneckea wildeana, Jacq.-Fel....
  
  

External links

• PlantSystematics.org: Images of species, list of genera