A family of about 250 genera and 4500 or more species, pantropic; six genera occur naturally in Australia.

Dissotis - An African genus of about 150 species; one species naturalised in Australia.

Medinilla - A genus of about 150 species in Africa, Madagascar, SE Asia, Malesia and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Whiffin (1990).

Melastoma - A genus of about 70-100 species in Asia, Malesia, Australia and the Pacific islands; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Meyer (2000); Whiffin (1990).

Memecylon - A genus of about 200-300 species in Africa, Asia, Malesia, Australia and the Pacific islands; three species occur naturally in Australia. Whiffin (1990).

Miconia - A genus of about 1000 species in tropical America; one species introduced to Australia and is a serious weed.

Osbeckia - A genus of about 60 species in Africa, Asia, Malesia and Australia; two species occur naturally in Australia. Whiffin (1990).

Pternandra - A genus of 15 species in SE Asia, Malesia and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Maxwell (1981); Whiffin (1990).

Tristemma - A genus of about 14 species in western and central Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarenes; one species has become naturalised in Australia. Whiffin (1990).

Maxwell, J.F. (1981). A revision of the genus Pternandra (Melastomataceae). Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 34:1-90.

Meyer, K. (2000). Revision of the southeast Asian genus Melastoma (Melastomataceae). Blumea 46:351-398.

Whiffin, T. (1990). Melastomataceae. In 'Flora of Australia.' Vol. 18, (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.), pp. 243-255, 325-326.