Dissotis

Dissotis is a genus of plants in the family Melastomataceae.^[2] It includes nine species of annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, or small trees which are native to tropical Africa.^[1]

Dissotis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Melastomataceae
Genus:	Dissotis Benth. (1849)
Species[1]
9; see text
Synonyms[1]
Hedusa Raf. (1838) Kadalia Raf. (1838), nom. utique rej. Lignieria A.Chev. (1920), nom. nud. Osbeckiastrum Naudin (1850) Pseudosbeckia A.Fern. & R.Fern. (1956)

Etymology

The generic name is based on the Greek word dissos, which means 'twofold'.^[3] This refers to the two types of anthers that is a characteristic of this genus.

Taxonomy

Until recently Dissotis contained dozens of species, organized into four sections – Dissotis, Macrocarpae, Sessilifoliae, and Squamulosae. A 2020 study found that the genus was polyphyletic, and most species formerly placed in Dissotis were placed in five new genera – Almedanthus (for Dissotis pachytricha), Eleotis (for former Dissotis sect. Sessilifoliae), Feliciotis (for former sect. Macrocarpae), Pyrotis (for D. gilgiana) and Rosettea (for former sect. Squamulosae) – or into the existing or revived genera Antherotoma, Derosiphia, and Nerophila.^[4]

Species

As accepted by Kew;^[1]

• Dissotis elegans (Robyns & Lawalrée) A.Fern. & R.Fern.
• Dissotis grandiflora (Sm.) Benth.
• Dissotis homblei (De Wild.) A.Fern. & R.Fern.
• Dissotis idanreensis Brenan
• Dissotis lebrunii (Robyns & Lawalrée) A.Fern. & R.Fern.
• Dissotis leonensis Hutch. & Dalziel
• Dissotis longisetosa Gilg & Ledermann ex Engl.
• Dissotis splendens A.Chev. & Jacq.-Fél.
• Dissotis swynnertonii (Baker f.) A.Fern. & R.Fern.