Melastomatineae

Belongs within: Myrtales.
Contains: Olinia, Crypteroniaceae, Leandra, Memecylon, Melastomatoideae.

The Melastomatineae is a clade of mostly tropical and subtropical plants recognised primarily on the basis of molecular analysis. The majority of species within the clade are placed in the family Melastomataceae, members of which have contorted corollas. The Memecyloideae, sometimes treated as their own family, bear fruits containing one to five large seeds with large embryos (Whiffin 1990).

Smaller families of Melastomatineae include the Penaeaceae, a southern African group of trees and shrubs with leathery leaves. The false waterberry Rhynchocalyx lawsonioides is a small tree restricted to coastal forest in the Natal and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, regarded as vulnerable to threats from logging and habitat destruction. The Neotropical Alzatea is a small tree resembling a species of Myrtaceae but with a superior ovary.

Melastomes and pals

Published 29 April 2015

For most botanists currently working on flowering plants, the default taxonomic framework for their studies is the classification published by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. This is not the only classification for angiosperms proposed in recent years, but it is the most widely recognised, and it is the one that all its competitors are compared to. If there is one major deficiency of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification, it is that it eschews the use of formal categories between ‘orders’ (which it tends to define broadly) and ‘families’. As such, there are a number of well-supported clades that require one to turn to alternative classifications for suitable names.

The Melastomatineae, as recognised by Reveal (2012), for instance, is a clade of mostly tropical and subtropical plants within the Myrtales commonly recovered by molecular phylogenetic analyses. Most of its members are included in the pantropical family Melastomataceae, but it also includes three much smaller and more localised families: the southeast Asian Crypteroniaceae, the western Neotropical Alzatea and the African Penaeaceae. Some authors also divide the Melastomataceae into two families Melastomataceae and Memecylaceae, but as the two groups are universally accepted as sister clades this is purely a matter of taste. Morphological characters uniting the families are few (see the Angiosperm Phylogeny Website). Many accumulate aluminium in the leaves, to the extent that the leaves of the small tree Memecylon edule were used in India as a mordant for fixing dyes to cloth. The flowers lack nectaries, and when nectar is produced in the Melastomataceae it exudes from locations such as the anthers or the corolla. Some Olisbeoideae (the Memecylaceae of other classifications) produce oil from glands on the anthers that is collected by pollinators in lieu of nectar. In the South American genus Axinaea, the anthers have a sugary appendage that is eaten by tanagers; as they attack it, a puff of pollen dusts their head. The anthers of Melastomataceae are often distinctly coloured from the rest of the flower, and arranged in a distinctive seried row on one side of the flower. The Melastomatoideae (i.e. Melastomataceae sensu stricto) also have distinctive leaves, with three or more strong longitudinal veins arising from the leaf base and connected by cross-veins.

Though Melastomataceae are often significant members of the tropical forest understorey, they tend not to have much direct economic significance for humans. Some, such as the princess flowers or glory trees of the genus Tibouchina, are grown as ornamentals. The hard pear Olinia ventosa of the Penaeaceae (no, I don’t know why it’s called that) is grown as a shade tree in South Africa. A few species of Melastomataceae are significant invasive weeds in warmer regions, including such luminaries as the Straits rhododendron Melastoma malabathricum and the evocatively-named Koster’s curse Clidemia hirta. The velvet tree Miconia calvescens has earned itself the label of the ‘purple plague’ in Hawaii, where it over-runs native forest.

Systematics of Melastomatineae

Synapomorphies (Angiosperm Phylogeny Website): Connective abaxially much expanded; endothecial thickening absent/atypical; nectary absent; exotestal cells more or less longitudinally elongated.

<==MelastomatineaeT00
    |  i. s.: OliniaT00
    |         Rhynchocalyx [Rhynchocalycaceae]T00
    |           `--R. lawsonioidesWO05
    |         Alzatea [Alzateaceae]T00
    |--+--CrypteroniaceaeWM09
    |  `--Penaea [Penaeaceae]WM09
    |       `--P. mucronataWM09
    `--MelastomataceaeWM09
         |  i. s.: DissochaetaK03
         |           |--D. bracteataRC02
         |           |--D. celebicaRC02
         |           |--D. monticulaK03
         |           `--D. punctulataRC02
         |         LijndeniaYY22
         |         AdelobotrysD03
         |         Rhyncanthera dichotomaM-FR08
         |         Ekmaniocharis crassinervisJ87
         |         Conostegia Don 1823L95
         |           |--C. hotteana Urb. & Ekm. 1929L95
         |           |--C. icosandraJ87
         |           |--C. suberastulataMM96
         |           `--C. talapensisBT87
         |         Henriettea DC. 1828L95
         |           |--H. barkeri [incl. H. elliptica]J87
         |           |--H. fascicularis (Sw.) Gómez-Maza 1894 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |           |--H. macfadyenii (Triana) Alain 1965 [=Henriettella macfadyenii Triana 1871]L95
         |           |--H. membranifolia (Cogn.) Alain 1965 [=Henriettella membranifolia Cogn. in DC. 1891]L95
         |           |--H. squamulosa (Cogn.) Judd. 1986 [=Calycogonium squamulosum Cogn. 1886]L95
         |           `--H. tuberculosaLB99
         |         Tibouchina Aublet 1775L95
         |           |--T. granulosa (Desr.) Cogn. in Mart. 1885 [=Melastoma granulosa Desr. in Lam. 1797]L95
         |           |--T. longifoliaJ87
         |           `--T. urvilleana (DC.) Cogn. in Mart. 1885L95 [=Lasiandra urvilleana DC. 1828L95; incl. T. semidecandraW90]
         |         Heterotrichum umbellatumJ87
         |         Clidemia Don 1823L95
         |           |--C. angustilamina Judd & Skean 1991 [incl. Heterotrichum angustifolium DC. 1828]L95
         |           |--C. capillarisJ87
         |           |--C. cymosa (Wendl.) Alain 1995 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |           |--C. densifloraLB99
         |           |--C. dentataWM09
         |           |--C. hirta (L.) Don 1823 [=Melastoma hirtum L. 1953; incl. C. crenata DC. 1828]L95
         |           |--C. rubraF11
         |           `--C. strigillosa (Sw.) DC. 1828 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |         CalycogoniumJ87
         |           |--C. apiculatumJ87
         |           |--C. calycopterisJ87
         |           `--C. torbecianumJ87
         |         PachyanthusJ87
         |           |--P. cubensisJ87
         |           |    |--P. c. ssp. cubensisJ87
         |           |    `--P. c. ssp. blancheanusJ87
         |           `--P. hotteanaJ87
         |         Mecranium Hook. in Benth. & Hook. 1867L95
         |           |--M. alpestreJ87
         |           |--M. birimosumJ87
         |           |--M. haitiense [incl. M. salicifolium]J87
         |           |--M. latifolium (Cogn.) Skean 1993 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |           |--M. microdictyumJ87
         |           |--M. multiflorumJ87
         |           |--M. revolutum Skean & Judd 1986JS87
         |           |--M. tricostatumJ87
         |           `--M. tuberculatumJ87
         |         MonochaetumMM96
         |         LeandraL95
         |         MarcetiaN10
         |         Topobea brachyuraH11
         |         Melastomites druidum Unger 1850CBH93
         |         AcrovenaCBH93
         |         Appendicularia DC. 1828KC01
         |         Chitonia Don 1823KC01
         |         Meisneria DC. 1828KC01
         |         Acisanthera Browne 1756L95
         |           `--A. quadrata Pers. 1805 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |         Arthrostemma Pavón ex Don 1823L95
         |           `--A. fragile Lindl. 1847 [incl. A. ciliatum Ruiz & Pavon ex Cogn. in DC. 1891]L95
         |         Dissotis Benth in Hook. 1849 (nom. cons.)L95
         |           `--D. rotundifolia (Smith) Triana 1871 [=Osbeckia rotundifolia Smith in Rees 1813]L95
         |         Graffenrieda Martius 1832L95
         |           |--G. chrysandraJ87
         |           `--G. ottoschulzii (Urb. & Ekm.) Urb. & Ekm. 1931 [=Miconia oltoschulzii Urb. & Ekm. 1929]L95
         |         Nepsera Naudin 1849L95
         |           `--N. aquatica (Aubl.) Naudin 1849 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |         Pterolepis Miquel 1839 (nom. cons.)L95
         |           `--P. glomerata (Rottb.) Miquel 1840 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |         Sagraea DC. 1828L95
         |           |--S. domingensis DC. 1828 [=Clidemia domingensis (DC.) Cogn. 1886]L95
         |           |--S. polystachyaL95
         |           |--S. portoricensis (Alain) Alain 1995 [=Clidemia portoricensis Alain 1982]L95
         |           |--S. scabrosa (L.) Alain 1995 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |           |--S. scalpta (Vent.) Naud. 1852 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |           `--S. umbrosa (Sw.) DC. 1828 [=Melastoma umbrosum Sw. 1788, Clidemia umbrosa (Sw.) Cogn. in DC. 1891]L95
         |         TetrazygiaL95
         |           |--T. angustifolia (Sw.) DC. 1828 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |           |--T. biflora (Cogn.) Urban 1921 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |           |--T. crotonifolia (Desr.) DC. 1828 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |           |--T. elaeagnoides (Sw.) DC. 1828 [=Melastoma elaeagnoides Sw. 1788]L95
         |           `--T. urbanii Cogniaux 1866 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |         Backeria assamica (Clarke) Raizada 1968 [=Amplectrum assamicum]DD73
         |         Blastus cochinchinensisDD73
         |         Sarcopyramis nepalensisDD73
         |         DriesseniaT-W89
         |         OchthocharisT-W89
         |           |--O. borneensisRC02
         |           `--O. javanicaRC02
         |         AnerincleistusT-W89
         |         Phyllagathis rotundifoliaRC02
         |         DaleniaT-W89
         |         CreochitonT-W89
         |         OmphalopusT=W89
         |         PachycentriaT-W89
         |         PlethiandraT-W89
         |         DiplogeneaT-W89
         |         FritzschiaT-W89
         |         LavoisieraT-W89
         |         HeterocentronW90
         |           |--H. elegansW90
         |           `--H. macrostachyumW90
         |         AllomorphiaRC02
         |           |--A. exiguaRC02
         |           `--A. griffithiiRC02
         |         AnplectrumRC02
         |           |--A. divaricatumRC02
         |           |--A. glaucumRC02
         |           `--A. polyanthumRC02
         |         KibessaRC02
         |           |--K. galeataRC02
         |           `--K. simplexRC02
         |         Marumia verrucosaRC02
         |--Astronioideae [Astronieae]W90
         |    |--Astronia papetariaT00, T-W89
         |    `--Pternandra Jack 1822W90
         |         |--*P. coerulescens Jack 1822 [incl. P. cyanea (Blume) Triana 1871]W90
         |         `--P. capitellataRC02
         |--Memecyloideae [Memecylaceae, Memecyleae]W90
         |    |--MemecylonT-W89
         |    `--Mouriri Aublet 1775T-W89, L95
         |         |--M. domingensis (Tussac) Spach 1835 (see below for synonymy)L95
         |         `--M. helleri Briton 1902L95
         |              |--M. h. var. helleriL95
         |              `--M. h. var. samanensisL95
         `--MelastomatoideaeW90

Acisanthera quadrata Pers. 1805 [incl. Rhexia acisanthera L. 1759, A. acisanthera (L.) Britton 1925, Uranthera dicranophora Naud. 1849, Melastoma uniflora Sessé & Moc. 1894]^L95

Clidemia cymosa (Wendl.) Alain 1995 [=Melastoma cymosa Wendl. in Spreng. 1825, Heterotrichum cymosum (Wendl.) Urban 1910; incl. H. eggersii Cogn. 1886]^L95

Clidemia strigillosa (Sw.) DC. 1828 [=Melastoma strigillosum Sw. 1788, C. spicata strigillosa (Sw.) Griseb. 1860; incl. Staphidium spicatum Naud. 1852]^L95

Henriettea fascicularis (Sw.) Gómez-Maza 1894 [=Melastoma fascicularis Sw. 1788, Henriettella fascicularis (Sw.) Wr. ex Sauv. 1869, Ossaea fascicularis (Sw.) Griseb. 1860, Sagraea fascicularis (Sw.) DC. 1828; incl. S. acutiflora Naud. 1852]^L95

Mecranium latifolium (Cogn.) Skean 1993 [=M. amygdalinum var. latifolium (Cogn.) Cogn. in DC. 1891; incl. M. amygdalinum var. longifolium (Cogn.) Cogn. in DC. 1891, M. amygdalinum var. parvifolium (Cogn.) Cogn. in DC. 1891, M. amygdalinum var. subintegerrimum (Cogn.) Cogn. in DC. 1891]^L95

Mouriri domingensis (Tussac) Spach 1835 [=Petaloma domingensis Tussac 1824; incl. Aulacocarpus quadrangularis Griseb. 1860, Eugenia tetrasperma Bello 1881]^L95

Nepsera aquatica (Aubl.) Naudin 1849 [=Melastoma aquatica Aubl. 1775, Spennera aquatica (Aubl.) Mart. in DC. 1828; incl. Homonoma aridum Bello 1881]^L95

Pterolepis glomerata (Rottb.) Miquel 1840 [=Rhexia glomerata Rottb. 1779, Arthrostemma glomeratum (Rottb.) Cham. 1834]^L95

Sagraea scabrosa (L.) Alain 1995 [=Melastoma scabrosa L. 1759, Clidemia scabrosa (L.) Griseb. 1860, Ossaea scabrosa (L.) DC. 1828]^L95

Sagraea scalpta (Vent.) Naud. 1852 [=Maieta scalpta Vent. 1803, Ossaea scalpta (Vent.) DC. 1828; incl. Melastoma acutipetala Rich. in Bonpl. 1816, O. domingensis Cogn. in Urb. 1913, Me. fascicularis Willd. ex Triana 1871 non Sw. 1788, Me. glomeratum Vahl ex DC. 1828, Me. oxypetalum Spreng. 1825]^L95

Tetrazygia angustifolia (Sw.) DC. 1828 [=Melastoma angustifolia Sw. 1788, Miconia angustifolia (Sw.) Griseb. 1860]^L95

Tetrazygia biflora (Cogn.) Urban 1921 [=Calycogonium biflorum Cogn. 1886, Menendezia biflora (Cogn.) Britton 1925, Tetrazygiopsis biflora (Cogn.) Borhidi 1977; incl. Tetrazygia krugii Cogn. in DC. 1891]^L95

Tetrazygia crotonifolia (Desr.) DC. 1828 [=Melastoma crotonifolia Desr. in Lam. 1779, Tetrazygiopsis crotonifolia (Desr.) Borhidi 1977]^L95

Tetrazygia urbanii Cogniaux 1866 [=Menendezia urbanii (Cogn.) Britt. 1925; incl. T. stahlii Cogn. 1886, M. stahlii (Cogn.) Britt. 1925]^L95

*Type species of generic name indicated

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