Evolution and biogeography of Memecylon.

Premise: The woody plant group Memecylon (Melastomataceae) is a large clade occupying diverse forest habitats in the Old World tropics and exhibiting high regional endemism. Its phylogenetic relationships have been previously studied using ribosomal DNA with extensive sampling from Africa and Madagascar. However, divergence times, biogeography, and character evolution of Memecylon remain uninvestigated.

(Melastomataceae), a new genus from Atlantic Central Africa, including the new species from Equatorial Guinea.

Based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence, a new genus of Melastomataceae (Melastomateae), Veranso-Libalah & G.Kadereit, , is described from Atlantic Central Africa. is distinguished from other African Melastomateae genera by its calyx-lobes that are notched at apex and asymmetrical (vs.

, a new species of Melastomataceae from the wet miombo woodlands of south-central Africa.

A new species from the wet miombo woodlands of Tanzania and Angola, Veranso-Libalah & G.Kadereit, . (Melastomataceae, Melastomateae), is described and illustrated.