Contribution to the knowledge of the ecological profile of some Melastomataceae of the Lesser Antilles: the case of Martinique

Melastomataceae are particularly diverse in the Neotropical realm. The study of the sylvatic formations of the Lesser Antilles made it possible to identify the dominant floristic corteges associated with the different bioclimates. Although there are many indications that Melastomataceae are not among the species structuring the climax formations of the forests of Martinique, their ecological chorology and profile within these formations can be specified. The analysis of the biodemographic data of eco-units of different bioclimates, obtained during floristic inventories, confirms the indications of the floras of the region. It also makes it possible to provide some specifications concerning the ecological profiles of certain Melastomataceae. Conostegia calyptrata and Conostegia icosandra display a temperament of a heliophilous species of the sylvatic gaps. Clidemia umbrosa is a species affinis of smaller gaps or of trails. Miconia trichotoma is a more forestal species.