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Which Myrtales family has the greatest diversity in the New World?

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common myrtle — Myrtales Common myrtle (*Myrtus communis*).

Within the order Myrtales, the Melastomataceae family exhibits the greatest diversity in the New World, where approximately two-thirds of its more than 4,960 species are found.1

While other families in the order also have significant representation in the Americas—such as Myrtaceae, which contains about 2,400 species in tropical America, and Lythraceae, which is noted for its diversity in South America—Melastomataceae is specifically highlighted for its high concentration of species within the New World tropics.1