Plant Families: Letter M
Melastomataceae - Melastome Family
Melastomataceae is a family of diverse plants found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. With over 4,000 species, it is one of the largest families of flowering plants, known for their showy flowers, striking foliage, and ecological importance.
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Meliceae is a family of flowering plants, known for their use in natural remedies and traditional medicine. They are valued for their timber, and include many economically important species.
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Melanthiaceae - Bunchflower Family
Melanthiaceae is a family of perennial herbs that are distinguished by their clustered flowers and toxic alkaloids.
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Montiaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 300 species. They are commonly found in North America, South America, and Australia. Many species within this family have fleshy leaves and stems, making them well-suited to arid environments.
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Metteniusaceae - Metteniusa Family
Metteniusaceae is a rare family of flowering plants that includes only two genera, Metteniusa and Xerospermum. These plants are native to tropical regions of Central and South America and are known for their unique floral morphology.
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Monimiaceae is a family of flowering plants found in tropical and subtropical regions, known for their aromatic leaves and fruit.
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The Musaceae family comprises flowering plants commonly known as bananas. They are widely cultivated and prized for their fruit, which is a staple food in many parts of the world.
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Myrtaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes over 5,000 species of trees, shrubs, and herbs. They are known for their aromatic leaves and distinctive flowers, which often have numerous stamens. Many species in this family are economically important for their fruits, oils, and medicinal properties.
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Malvaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes over 4,000 species. They are known for their showy flowers and palmate leaves, with representatives found in many parts of the world.
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Moraceae is a family of flowering plants with over 1,000 species distributed around the world. The family includes trees, shrubs, and vines commonly known for their distinctive fruits and milky sap.
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Marantaceae - Prayer Plant Family
Marantaceae is a family of flowering plants known for their strikingly patterned leaves and unique inflorescences. They are commonly grown as ornamental plants in tropical regions around the world.
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Molluginaceae - Mollugo Family
Molluginaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of approximately 100 species distributed across the world. They are known for their succulent leaves and small, star-shaped flowers.
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Marattiaceae - Marattia Family
Marattiaceae is a family of large, primitive ferns that have been around for over 300 million years. These plants are characterized by their distinctive, feathery fronds and spore-bearing structures called sori.
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Menispermaceae - Moonseed Family
Menispermaceae is a family of flowering plants, also known as the moonseed family. The family includes more than 400 species of lianas, vines, and shrubs found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
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Myricaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the bayberry family, consisting of around 55 species of trees and shrubs found in both temperate and tropical regions. Many species within this family have aromatic leaves and produce waxy berries or drupes that are used in various commercial applications.
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Malpighiaceae - Malpighia Family
The Malpighiaceae family consists of over 1,200 species of flowering plants. These plants are characterized by their unique flowers and distinctive winged fruits. They are found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world and have many economic and ecological benefits.
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Myristicaceae is a family of flowering plants found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The family is well-known for its economic importance, particularly in the production of nutmeg and mace.
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Magnoliaceae - Magnolia Family
Magnoliaceae family consists of flowering plants known for their large and fragrant flowers, which are often used in perfumes.
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Mazaceae is a small family of flowering plants that includes approximately 30 species. These plants are predominantly found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, and they are known for their showy flowers and unique growth habits.
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Martyniaceae - Unicorn Plant Family
Martyniaceae is a family of flowering plants that are known for their unique fruit structures. These hard, spiny capsules are used to disperse seeds and have earned some members the nickname "devil's claw."
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Menyanthaceae - Buckbean Family
Menyanthaceae is a family of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants that are known for their showy, star-shaped flowers and distinctive foliage.
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A brief overview of the Moringaceae family: Moringaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes 13 species, with the most well-known being the moringa tree. These plants are known for their nutritional and medicinal properties, and have traditionally been used in Ayurvedic and African medicine.
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Marcgraviaceae - Marcgravia Family
The Marcgraviaceae family comprises around 120 species of tropical vines and shrubs, known for their unique inflorescences and climbing habits.
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Myodocarpaceae - Myodocarpus Family
Myodocarpaceae is a small family of flowering plants consisting of about 30 species. These plants are primarily found in South America and some parts of Africa. They are characterized by their small, inconspicuous flowers and fleshy fruit.
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Montiniaceae - Montinia Family
Montiniaceae is a family of woody plants containing about 30 known species. They are found in tropical and subtropical regions across the world and include shrubs, trees, and lianas.
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Mayacaceae is a small family of flowering plants, consisting of only one genus (Mayaca) and around 10 species. These aquatic plants are primarily found in freshwater habitats across the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas and Africa.
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The Maundiaceae family is a small, tropical group of trees and shrubs. They are known for their beautiful flowers and fruit, as well as their medicinal properties.
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Microteaceae - Microtea Family
The Microteaceae family comprises small, inconspicuous bryophytes that are commonly found in damp habitats worldwide.
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Myrothamnaceae - Myrothamnus Family
Myrothamnaceae is a small family of flowering plants comprising only one genus, Myrothamnus, which is known for its unique adaptations to extreme environmental conditions.
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Muntingiaceae - Muntingia Family
Muntingiaceae is a small family of flowering plants, with only one genus, Muntingia. These trees are native to tropical regions and are known for their fast growth rate and edible fruit.
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Mitrastemonaceae - Maza Family
Mitrastemonaceae is a small family of parasitic plants consisting of a single genus, Mitrastemon, and only two known species. They are unique in their morphology and lack of chlorophyll, making them entirely dependent on host plants for nutrients.
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Misodendraceae - Misodendrum Family
Misodendraceae is a family of flowering plants that consists of small parasitic shrubs found primarily in the southern hemisphere.
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Matoniaceae is a family of ferns consisting of four genera and around 30 species. These plants are known for their unique and striking foliage, which makes them popular ornamental plants in gardens and landscapes.
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Marsileaceae - Water Clover Family
The Marsileaceae family, commonly known as waterclovers, is a group of aquatic or semi-aquatic ferns found in wetlands and shallow waters around the world.
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Macarthuriaceae is a family of flowering plants found in the southern hemisphere. The family includes only one genus, Macarthuria, which consists of 10 species of shrubs and small trees with distinctive leaves and flowers.
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