Axinaea


Axinaea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Melastomataceae. As of 2012, there are at least 42 species. They are small trees and shrubs. They are native to the Americas; almost all are found in the Andes.
Plants of this genus are pollinated when birds, several species of fruit-eating tanagers, consume specialized appendages on the stamens. As they grasp the nutritious appendages, a cloud of pollen is released. This has been called "puff pollination".
Species include: