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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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