The family Melastomataceae (alternatively Melastomaceae) is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants found mostly in the tropics (two thirds of the genera are from the New World tropics) comprising ca 165 genera and ca 5115 known species. Melastomes are annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, or small trees. Flowers are perfect, and borne either singly or in terminal or axillary, paniculate cymes. Under the APG III system of classification, the seven genera from Memecylaceae are now included in this family.