Melastomataceae () 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. 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.
Genera There are some 169 accepted genera in the Melastomataceae family as of July 2025. They are:
Acanthella Aciotis Acisanthera Adelobotrys Allomaieta Alloneuron Almedanthus Amphiblemma Amphorocalyx Anaheterotis Andesanthus Anerincleistus Antherotoma Appendicularia Argyrella Arthrostemma Aschistanthera Astrocalyx Astronia Astronidium Axinaea Bamlera Barthea Beccarianthus Bellucia Benna Bertolonia Bisglaziovia Blakea Blastus Boerlagea Bourdaria Boyania Brachyotum Brasilianthus Bredia Bucquetia Cailliella Calvoa Cambessedesia Castratella Catanthera Centradenia Centradeniastrum Centronia Chaetogastra Chaetolepis Chalybea Cincinnobotrys Comolia Comoliopsis Creochiton Cyphotheca Dalenia Derosiphia Desmoscelis Dicellandra Dichaetanthera Dinophora Dionycha Dionychastrum Diplectria Dissochaeta Dissotidendron Dissotis Driessenia Dupineta Eleotis Eriocnema Ernestia Feliciadamia Feliciotis Fordiophyton Fritzschia Graffenrieda Gravesia Guyonia Henriettea Heteroblemma Heterocentron Heterotis Huberia Kendrickia Kerriothyrsus Kirkbridea Lijndenia Lithobium Loricalepis Macairea Macrocentrum Macrolenes Maguireanthus Mallophyton Marcetia Medinilla Melastoma †Melastomites Melastomastrum Memecylon Mendelia Meriania Merianthera Miconia Microlicia Monochaetum Monolena Mouriri Neblinanthera Neodriessenia Nephoanthus Nepsera Nerophila Noterophila Mart. Nothodissotis Ochthephilus Ochthocharis Opisthocentra Osbeckia Ossaea Oxyspora Pachycentria Pachyloma Perilimnastes Phainantha Phyllagathis Physeterostemon Pilocosta Plagiopetalum Pleroma Plethiandra Poikilogyne Poilannammia Poteranthera Preussiella Pseudodissochaeta Pseudoernestia Pternandra Pterogastra Pterolepis Pyrotis Quipuanthus Rhexia Rhynchanthera Rosettea Rostranthera Rousseauxia Salpinga Sandemania Sarcopyramis Schwackaea Scorpiothyrsus Siphanthera Sonerila Spathandra Sporoxeia Stanmarkia Stussenia Styrophyton Tashiroea Tateanthus Tessmannianthus Tibouchina Tigridiopalma Triolena Tristemma Tryssophyton Vietsenia Votomita Warneckea Wurdastom
Foraging
Melastomataceae is foraged by many stingless bees, especially by the species Melipona bicolor which gather pollen from this taxon of flowering plant.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.
References
External links
PlantSystematics.org: Images of species, list of genera