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Melstomids Print E-mail
The family includes the genus Tibouchina, which provides the popular garden Lasiandras. Most species are found in the neotropics of South and Central America, but the family is distributed throughout the tropics of the world including Australia.

  There are several species of Melastomid in the Australian tropical rainforest, including native and introduced species. The leaves are distinctive; they lack a central vein, but instead usually have a 3-veined pattern. Plants in this family often have bright and quite showy purple flowers.

melastomid
A melastomid flower
 
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Study Tours

  • Activity Tour of Tropical Australia

    This trip has been designed for more general interest and younger student groups. It visits a range of iconic regions, from the Great Barrier Reef, to the rainforests and rivers of the Daintree, to the caves and bush of the outback, and to the mountains, lakes and waterfalls of the Atherton Tablelands. We conduct a range of activities within the trip including hikes, ‘bushwalks', boat cruises, snorkeling to wildlife viewing and night-spotlighting. We see tropical rainforest, coal reefs, kangaroos, shops and beaches. With sufficient lead time, the trip can have it's focus and design changed to suit the…

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Plants

Fungi
Fungi actually belong to a completely different kingdom from the animals and the plants and are not particularly related to either. There are thought to be about 250,000 species of fungi in Australia, and thus they far outnumber the regular vascular plants but most of these species are too small to be noticed.
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Mammals

Insectivorous Bats
‘Microbats’ are a much more diverse group than the 'megabats'. Even though they are generally called the ‘insectivorous bats’, there are species that have evolved to feed on insects, fish, fruit, nectar, blood and even other bats.
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