Miconia

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Melastomataceae}}

{{redirect|Leandra|other uses|Leandra (disambiguation)}}

{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|taxon = Miconia

|authority = Ruiz & Pavón

|image = Starr 031118-0115 Miconia calvescens.jpg

|image_caption = Velvet tree (Miconia calvescens)

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision = Around 1,900, see List of Miconia species

|subdivision_ref = [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:327221-2 Miconia Ruiz & Pav.] Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 16 November 2023.

|synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets=true

|title={{small|Synonymy}}

|Abrophaes {{small|Raf. (1838), nom. superfl.}}

|Acidodendron {{small|Kuntze (1891), orth. var.}}

|Acinodendron {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Acinolis {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Amphitoma {{small|Gleason (1925)}}

|Anaectocalyx {{small|Triana ex Benth. & Hook.f. (1867)}}

|Angeja {{small|Vand. (1771), nom. rej.}}

|Antisola {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Augustinea {{small|A.St.-Hil. & Naudin (1844)}}

|Auliphas {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Calophysa {{small|DC. (1828)}}

|Calycogonium {{small|DC. (1828)}}

|Capitellaria {{small|Naudin (1852)}}

|Catachaenia {{small|Griseb. (1860)}}

|Catocoryne {{small|Hook.f. (1867)}}

|Catonia {{small|P.Browne (1756)}}

|Chaenanthera {{small|Rich. ex DC. (1828)}}

|Chaenopleura {{small|Rich. ex DC. (1828)}}

|Charianthus {{small|D.Don (1823)}}

|Chiloporus {{small|Naudin (1845)}}

|Chitonia {{small|D.Don (1823)}}

|Chrysophora {{small|Cham. ex Triana (1871 publ. 1872)}}

|Clastilix {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Clidemia {{small|D.Don (1823)}}

|Clidemiastrum {{small|Naudin (1852)}}

|Conostegia {{small|D.Don (1823)}}

|Copedesma {{small|Gleason (1925)}}

|Cremanium {{small|D.Don (1823)}}

|Cryptophysa {{small|Standl. & J.F.Macbr. (1929)}}

|Cyanophyllum {{small|Naudin (1852)}}

|Cyathanthera {{small|Pohl (1831)}}

|Dancera {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Decaraphe {{small|Miq. (1840)}}

|Diplochita {{small|DC. (1828)}}

|Diplodonta {{small|H.Karst. (1857)}}

|Ekmaniocharis {{small|Urb. (1921)}}

|Eurychaenia {{small|Griseb. (1860)}}

|Eustegia {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Folomfis {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Fothergilla {{small|Aubl. (1775), nom. illeg.}}

|Gallasia {{small|Mart. ex DC. (1828)}}

|Glossocentrum {{small|Crueg. (1847)}}

|Gonema {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Graffenrieda {{small|Mart. (1832), nom. illeg.}}

|Happia {{small|Neck. (1790), not validly publ.}}

|Harrera {{small|Macfad. (1837)}}

|Hartigia {{small|Miq. (1845)}}

|Heterotrichum {{small|DC. (1828), nom. illeg.}}

|Hormocalyx {{small|Gleason (1935)}}

|Hosangia {{small|Neck. (1790), not validly publ.}}

|Icaria {{small|J.F.Macbr. (1929)}}

|Jucunda {{small|Cham. (1835)}}

|Killipia {{small|Gleason (1925)}}

|Leandra {{small|Raddi (1820)}}

|Leonicenia {{small|Scop. (1777), nom. rej.}}

|Lieutautia {{small|Buc'hoz (1779), nom. superfl.}}

|Lomanthera {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Maieta {{small|Aubl. (1775)}}

|Mecranium {{small|Hook.f. (1867)}}

|Menendezia {{small|Britton (1925)}}

|Miconiastrum {{small|Bonpl. ex Naudin (1851)}}

|Microphysa {{small|Naudin (1851 publ. 1850), nom. illeg.}}

|Microphysca {{small|Naudin (1852)}}

|Mommsenia {{small|Urb. & Ekman (1926)}}

|Muelleramra {{small|Kuntze (1891)}}

|Myrmidone {{small|Mart. (1832)}}

|Naudinia {{small|A.Rich. (1846), nom. rej.}}

|Necramium {{small|Britton (1924)}}

|Octella {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Octomeris {{small|Naudin (1845), nom. superfl.}}

|Octonum {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Oxymeris {{small|DC. (1828)}}

|Pachyanthus {{small|A.Rich. (1846)}}

|Pachydesmia {{small|Gleason (1948)}}

|Platycentrum {{small|Naudin (1852)}}

|Pleiochiton {{small|Naudin ex A.Gray (1853)}}

|Pleurochaenia {{small|Griseb. (1860)}}

|Pogonorhynchus {{small|Crueg. (1847)}}

|Prosanerpis {{small|S.F.Blake (1922)}}

|Pterocladon {{small|Hook.f. (1867)}}

|Rupestrea {{small|R.Goldenb., Almeda & Michelang. (2015)}}

|Sagraea {{small|DC. (1828)}}

|Sarcomeris {{small|Naudin (1851)}}

|Schizanthera {{small|Turcz. (1862)}}

|Sericola {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Soltmannia {{small|Naudin (1851 publ. 1850)}}

|Sphaerogyne {{small|Naudin (1851)}}

|Staphidiastrum {{small|Naudin (1852)}}

|Staphidium {{small|Naudin (1852)}}

|Stephanotrichum {{small|Naudin (1845)}}

|Synodon {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Synoptera {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

|Terera {{small|Naudin (1851 publ. 1850), not validly publ.}}

|Tetrazygia {{small|Rich. ex DC. (1828)}}

|Tetrazygiopsis {{small|Borhidi (1977)}}

|Tetrazygos {{small|Rich. ex DC. (1828)}}

|Tococa {{small|Aubl. (1775)}}

|Trigynia {{small|Jacq.-Fél. (1936)}}

|Truncaria {{small|DC. (1828)}}

|Tschudya {{small|DC. (1828)}}

|Ziegera {{small|Raf. (1838)}}

}}

|synonyms_ref =

}}

Miconia is a genus of flowering plants in the glory bush family, Melastomataceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species are mostly shrubs and small to medium-sized trees up to 15 m tall. The generic name honours Catalan physician and botanist Francesc Micó.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kaN-hLL-3qEC |first=Umberto |last=Quattrocchi |title=CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names |volume=III M-Q A-C |year=2000 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-0-8493-2677-6 |page=1676}} Some species are known by the common name johnnyberry.{{PLANTS|id=MICON|taxon=Miconia|access-date=9 July 2015}}

Many species are threatened by habitat destruction in their native range, and some are feared to be on the brink of extinction. On the other hand, M. calvescens is a contributing factor in the decline and maybe even extinction of other plants: it has become a highly invasive weed on a number of Pacific Islands where it was introduced, including Hawaii and Tahiti. It is often referred to as the "purple plague" or the "green cancer" in reference to its habit of overgrowing native ecosystems, and its leaves which are bright green above and bright purple below.

Miconia fruit are a favorite food of many birds (invasive M. calvescens spreads by this route). The leaves of some species are eaten by caterpillars of the moth-butterflies (Hedylidae).