Medinilla is a genus of about 400 species of flowering plants in the family Melastomataceae, native to tropical regions of the Old World from Africa (two species) east through Madagascar (about 70 species) and southern Asia to the western Pacific Ocean islands. The genus was named after J. de Medinilla, governor of the Mariana Islands in 1820. They are evergreen shrubs or lianas. The leaves are opposite or whorled, or alternate in some species. The flowers are white, pink, red, or orange, and are produced singly or in large panicles. Selected species There are approximately 418 species in this genus, including: Medinilla acuminata Philippines Medinilla arboricola China Medinilla assamica India Medinilla astronioides Philippines Medinilla banahaensis Philippines Medinilla beamanii Borneo Medinilla brevipendunculata Philippines Medinilla clemetis Philippines Medinilla congesta Philippines Medinilla cordata Philippines Medinilla cummingii Philippines Medinilla curtisii Medinilla dolichophylla Philippines Medinilla erythrophylla China, Nepal, India Medinilla fengii China Medinilla formosana Taiwan Medinilla fuligineo-glandulifera China Medinilla hainanensis China Medinilla halconensis Philippines Taiwan Medinilla himalayana India Medinilla involucrata Philippines Medinilla lanceata China Medinilla luchuenensis China Medinilla magnifica Philippines Medinilla malindangensis Philippines Medinilla merrillii Philippines Medinilla mindorensis Philippines Medinilla miniata Philippines Medinilla multiflora Philippines Medinilla mytiformis Philippines Medinilla nana China Medinilla petelotii China Medinilla pycnantha Quisumb. & Merr. Philippines Medinilla ramiflora Philippines Medinilla rubicunda China Medinilla scortechinii Philippines Medinilla sedifolia Medinilla septentrionalis China Medinilla speciosa Philippines Medinilla theresae Philippines Medinilla venosa Indonesia, Philippines Medinilla waterhousei Fiji "Tagimaucia" Medinilla yunnanensis China References External links Renner, S. S. (2004). Multiple Miocene Melastomataceae dispersal between Madagascar, Africa and India. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci. 359(1450): 1485-1494 (pdf file) Melastomataceae genera