Melastomataceae: Inherent Economical Values Substantiating Potential Transgenic Studies in the Family

Melastomataceae is one of the largest families of flowering plants. It is comprised of approximately 4,500 species in less than 200 genera, distributed in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. Limited fossil records have resulted in different hypothetical viewpoints on the biogeographical history of this family. Despite uncertainties in the monophyly of this family, the most obvious synapomorphy is the acrodromous leaf venation. Members of this family consist of diverse vegetative forms: from a few centimeters tall plant to woody creepers, to shrubs and even to several meters tall tree. Even though it has vast members, widely distributed worldwide, this family is one of the least studied or exploited. For those members fortunate enough to gain the attention of scientists worldwide, the outcomes have shown that members of this family have diverse valuable properties: ornamental, medicinal, herbal, phytoremediative, hinting that there might be others with new values that have yet to be explored in this huge family. Despite a great deal of research has been carried out to improve plant traits via genetic engineering in the plant kingdom, this technology has barely scratched the surface of Melastomataceae. A lack of critical information and detailed studies on the molecular aspects of this family might have hindered the progress in this aspect. This minireview focuses on the limited transgenic work that has only recently been explored in this family, with suggestions for future research, and also reviews the biochemical studies that have been conducted extensively on members of this Melastomataceae family throughout the decades.