Melastomataceae

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids II
Ordo: Myrtales

Familia: Melastomataceae
Subfamiliae: Melastomatoideae – Olisbeoideae
Genera: Acanthella – Aciotis – Acisanthera – Adelobotrys – Allomaieta – Allomorphia – Alloneuron – Almedanthus – Amphiblemma – Amphorocalyx – Anaectocalyx – Anaheterotis – Andesanthus – Anerincleistus – Antherotoma – Appendicularia – Argyrella – Arthrostemma – Aschistanthera – Astrocalyx – Astronia – Astronidium – Axinaea – Barthea – Beccarianthus – Behuria – Bellucia – Bertolonia – Bisglaziovia – Blakea – Blastus – Boerlagea – Boyania – Brachyotum – Brasilianthus – Bredia – Bucquetia – Cailliella – Calvoa – Calycogonium – Cambessedesia – Castratella – Catanthera – Catocoryne – Centradenia – Centradeniastrum – Centronia – Chaetolepis – Chaetostoma – Chalybea – Charianthus – Cincinnobotrys – Clidemia – Comolia – Comoliopsis – Conostegia – Creochiton – Cyphostyla – Cyphotheca – Desmoscelis – Dicellandra – Dichaetanthera – Dicrananthera – Dinophora – Dionycha – Dionychastrum – Dissochaeta – Dissotidendron – Dissotis – Dolichoura – Driessenia – Dupineta – Eriocnema – Ernestia – Feliciadamia – Fordiophyton – Fritzschia – Graffenrieda – Gravesia – Guyonia – Henriettea – Heteroblemma – Heterocentron – Heterotis – Heterotrichum – Huberia – Hypenanthe – Kendrickia – Kerriothyrsus – Killipia – Kirkbridea – Lavoisiera – Leandra – Leiostegia – Lijndenia – Lithobium – Loricalepis – Loreya – Macairea – Macrocentrum – Macrolenes – Maguireanthus – Maieta – Mallophyton – Marcetia – Mecranium – Medinilla – Melastoma – Melastomastrum – Memecylon – Meriania – Merianthera – Miconia – Microlepis – Microlicia – Monochaetum – Monolena – Mouriri – Neblinanthera – Necramium – Neodriessenia – Nepsera – Nerophila – Noterophila – Nothodissotis – Ochthephilus – Ochthocharis – Omphalopus – Opisthocentra – Oritrephes – Orthogoneuron – Osbeckia – Ossaea – Oxyspora – Pachyanthus – Pachycentria – Pachyloma – Phainantha – Phyllagathis – Physeterostemon – Pilocosta – Plagiopetalum – Pleiochiton – Pleroma – Plethiandra – Podocaelia – Pogonanthera – Poikilogyne – Poilannammia – Poteranthera – Preussiella – Pseudodissochaeta – Pseudoernestia – Pseudosbeckia – Pternandra – Pterogastra – Pterolepis – Quipuanthus – Rhexia – Rhodosepala – Rhynchanthera – Rostranthera – Rousseauxia – Salpinga – Sandemania – Sarcopyramis – Schwackaea – Scorpiothyrsus – Siphanthera – Sonerila – Spathandra – Sporoxeia – Stanmarkia – Stapfiophyton – Stenodon – Stussenia – Svitramia – Tashiroea – Tateanthus – Tessmannianthus – Tetrazygia – Tibouchina – Tibouchinopsis – Tigridiopalma – Tococa – Trembleya – Triolena – Tristemma – Tryssophyton – Veprecella – Vietsenia – Votomita – Warneckea – Wurdastom

Paleogenera: †Xystonia
Name

Melastomataceae Juss., Gen. Pl. 328. (1789) nom. cons
Typus: Melastoma L. Sp. Pl. 1: 389. (1753)

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Memecylaceae DC. Linnaea 2: 505. (1827)
Mouririaceae Gardner J. Bot. (Hooker) 2: 22. (1840)

Note: This family is undergoing considerable research at the moment, which will lead to changes in tribal and generic circumscriptions. It would be best not to undertake major edits here until this research has been digested and disseminated (Bacci et al. 2019, Bochorny et al. 2019, Michelangeli et al. 2019, Penneys 2016, Rocha et al. 2018 & Stevens 2019).
References

Jussieu, A.L. de 1789. Genera Plantarum: 328.
Bacci, L.F., Michelangeli, F.A. & Goldenberg, R. 2019. Revisiting the classification of Melastomataceae: implications for habit and fruit evolution. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 190(1): 1-24. DOI: 10.1093/botlinnean/boz006 Open access. Reference page.
Bochorny, T., Michelangeli, F.A., Almeda, F. & Goldenberg, R. 2019. Phylogenetics, morphology and circumscription of Cambessedesieae: a new Neotropical tribe of Melastomataceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 190(3): 281-302. DOI: 10.1093/botlinnean/boz018 Paywall. Reference page.
Clausing, G. & Renner, S.S. 2001. Molecular phylogenetics of Melastomataceae and Memecylaceae: implications for character evolution. American Journal of Botany 88(3): 486–498. Full text PDF Reference page.
Guimarães, P.J.F., Michelangeli, F.A., Sosa, K. & de Santiago Gómez, J.R. 2019. Systematics of Tibouchina and allies (Melastomataceae: Melastomateae): A new taxonomic classification. Taxon 68(5): 937-1002. DOI: 10.1002/tax.12151 Paywall Reference page.
Michelangeli, F.A., Goldenberg, R., Almeda, F., Judd, W.S., Bécquer, E.R., Ocampo, G., Ionta, G.M., Skean, J.D., Majure, L.C. & Penneys, D.S., 2019. Nomenclatural novelties in Miconia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae). Brittonia 71(1): 82-121. DOI: 10.1007/s12228-018-9546-0 Paywall ResearchGate Reference page.
Michelangeli, F., Almeda, F., Goldenberg, R. & Penneys, D. 2020. A guide to curating New World Melastomataceae collections with a linear generic sequence to world-wide Melastomataceae. Preprints 2020, 2020100203 DOI: 10.20944/preprints202010.0203.v2 PDF Not peer reviewed Reference page.
Penneys, D.S. 2016. Melastomataceae of the World. (web site)
Rocha, M.J.R., Guimarães, P.J.F., Michelangeli, F.A. & Batista, J.A.N. 2018. Taxonomy of Marcetieae: A new neotropical tribe of Melastomataceae. International Journal of Plant Sciences 179(1): 50–74. DOI: 10.1086/694932 Reference page.
Renner, S.S. 1993. Phylogeny and classification of the Melastomataceae and Memecylaceae. Nordic Journal of Botany 13(5): 519-540. DOI: 10.1111/j.1756-1051.1993.tb00096.x Full text PDF Reference page.
Stevens, P.F. 2001 onwards. Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, July 2017 [and more or less continuously updated since]. Online. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2015. Melastomataceae. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2015 June 14.
Veranso-Libalah, M.C., Stone, R.D., Fongod, A.G., Couvreur, T.L. & Kadereit, G. 2017. Phylogeny and systematics of African Melastomateae (Melastomataceae). Taxon 66(3): 584–614. DOI: 10.12705/663.5 Paywall ResearchGate Reference page.
Veranso‐Libalah, M.C., Stone, R.D. & Kadereit, G. 2020. Towards a complete phylogeny of African Melastomateae: Systematics of Dissotis and allies (Melastomataceae). Taxon 69(5): 946–991. DOI: 10.1002/tax.12317 Open access Reference page.
Zhou, Q.J., Dai, J.H., Lin, C.W., Denda, T., Zhou, R.C. & Liu, Y. 2019. Recircumscription of Bredia and resurrection of Tashiroea (Sonerileae, Melastomataceae) with description of a new species T. villosa. PhytoKeys 127: 121-150. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.127.36608 Open access Reference page.
Zhou, Q.C., Lin, C.W., Ng, W.L., Dai, J., Denda, T., Zhou, R. & Liu, Y. 2019. Analyses of plastome sequences improve phylogenetic resolution and provide new insight into the evolutionary history of Asian Sonerileae/Dissochaeteae. Frontiers in Plant Science 10: 1477. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01477 Open access Reference page.

Vernacular names
azərbaycanca: Melastomakimilər
Banjar: Karamunting
বাংলা: দাঁতরাঙ্গা
català: Melastomatàcia
Deutsch: Schwarzmundgewächse
English: Melastomes
suomi: Melastomakasvit
日本語: ノボタン科
한국어: 산석류과
lietuvių: Juodaininiai
polski: Zaczerniowate
русский: Меластомовые
svenska: Medinillaväxter
ไทย: วงศ์โคลงเคลง
українська: Меластомові
Tiếng Việt: Họ Mua
中文: 野牡丹科

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.[2] 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), Tibouchina semidecandra 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.[1]
Genera

There are some 175 accepted genera in the Melastomataceae family as of March 2021. They include:[3]

Acanthella
Aciotis
Acisanthera
Adelobotrys
Allomaieta
Alloneuron
Amphiblemma
Amphorocalyx
Anaectocalyx
Anaheterotis
Anerincleistus
Antherotoma
Appendicularia
Argyrella
Arthrostemma
Aschistanthera
Astrocalyx
Astronia
Astronidium
Axinaea
Barthea
Beccarianthus
Bellucia
Bertolonia
Bisglaziovia
Blakea
Blastus
Boerlagea
Boyania
Brachyotum
Brasilianthus
Bredia
Bucquetia
Cailliella
Calvoa
Calycogonium
Cambessedesia
Castratella
Catanthera
Catocoryne
Centradenia
Centradeniastrum
Centronia
Chaetogastra
Chaetolepis
Chaetostoma
Chalybea
Charianthus
Cincinnobotrys
Clidemia
Comolia
Comoliopsis
Conostegia
Creochiton
Cyphotheca
Derosiphia
Desmoscelis
Dicellandra
Dichaetanthera
Dinophora
Dionycha
Dionychastrum
Dissochaeta
Dissotidendron
Dissotis
Driessenia
Dupineta
Eriocnema
Ernestia
Feliciadamia
Fordiophyton
Fritzschia
Graffenrieda
Gravesia
Guyonia
Henriettea
Heteroblemma
Heterocentron
Heterotis
Huberia
Kendrickia
Kerriothyrsus
Kirkbridea
Lavoisiera
Leandra
Lijndenia
Lithobium
Loricalepis
Macairea
Macrocentrum
Macrolenes
Maguireanthus
Maieta
Mallophyton
Marcetia
Mecranium
Medinilla
Melastoma
Melastomastrum
Memecylon
Meriania
Merianthera
Miconia
Microlicia
Monochaetum
Monolena
Mouriri
Neblinanthera
Necramium
Neodriessenia
Nepsera
Nerophila
Noterophila {Wikispecies)
Nothodissotis
Ochthephilus
Ochthocharis
Opisthocentra
Osbeckia
Ossaea
Oxyspora
Pachyanthus
Pachycentria
Pachyloma
Phainantha
Phyllagathis
Physeterostemon
Pilocosta
Plagiopetalum
Pleiochiton
Pleroma
Plethiandra
Poikilogyne
Poilannammia
Poteranthera
Preussiella
Pseudodissochaeta
Pseudoernestia
Pternandra
Pterogastra
Pterolepis
Quipuanthus
Rhexia
Rhynchanthera
Rostranthera
Rousseauxia
Sagraea
Salpinga
Sandemania
Sarcopyramis
Schwackaea
Scorpiothyrsus
Siphanthera
Sonerila
Spathandra
Sporoxeia
Stanmarkia
Stenodon
Stussenia
Styrophyton
Tashiroea
Tateanthus
Tessmannianthus
Tetrazygia
Tibouchina
Tigridiopalma
Tococa
Trembleya
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.[4]
References

Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009), "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III", Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 161 (2): 105–121, doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x, archived from the original on 2017-05-25, retrieved 2010-12-10
Christenhusz, M. J. M.; Byng, J. W. (2016). "The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase". Phytotaxa. Magnolia Press. 261 (3): 201–217. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1.
"Melastomataceae Juss". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
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.