XVI International Botanical Congess

Melastomataceae is a diverse family of plants that can be woody or herbaceous, annual or perennial, shrubs or trees. This apparently monophyletic group is commonly referred to as meadow-beauty or melastome family. Leaves are usually opposite and simple with three or more conspicuous, parallel main veins. Flowers usually actinomorphic, bisexual, and 4 or 5-merous. Filaments usually with a conspicuous knee-like joint below the anther. Anthers porose dehiscent. Epigynous or perigynous. Distribution of Melastomataceae is described as pantropical, inhabiting tropical rainforests mainly, but also swamps, riverbanks, and savannas with many weedy species occurring in disturbed places. The highest number of species, 2,900, are in the Americas, concentrated in Venezuela, Ecuador, and NW Brazil. West and East Africa have 210 species, Madagascar 230 species, and the remaining 650 species are distributed among Asia, Oceania, and Northern Australia, with a concentration in Borneo. These over 4,000 species are represented with 194 genera. Included is a full genera list, however, the distribution mapping will concentrate on major genera including Miconia, Medinilla, Melastoma, Tibouchina, Leandra, and Clidemia.