Description of the family:
Trees, shrubs or herbs. Stems square. Stipules 0. Leaves opposite or sometimes whorled, simple, typically with 3-7 prominent sunken veins. Flowers in cymes, bisexual, actinomorphic or zygomorphic as regards the stamens, (3-)4-5(-6)-merous. Sepals present, intersepalar segments also present. Petals as many as sepals. Ovary inferior, 2-many-locular. Style 1. Fruit a many-seeded capsule.
Worldwide:
188 genera and 4,950 species, tropical and warm areas, especially S America.
Zimbabwe:
7 genera and 14 taxa.
- Antherotoma (Naudin) Hook. f.
- Dissotis Benth.
- Heterotis Benth.
- Melastomastrum Naudin
- Memecylon L.
- Tristemma Juss.
- Warneckea Gilg