Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Metachlamydeae: Gentianales

Rubiaceae - Coffee family

Bridson, D.M. (1998) Rubiaceae, Part 2 Flora Zambesiaca 5(2)

Bridson, D.M. & Verdcourt, B. (2003) Rubiaceae, Part 3 Flora Zambesiaca 5(3)

Verdcourt, B. (1988) Rubiaceae, Part 1 Flora Zambesiaca 5(1)

Description of the family

Trees, shrubs, annual or perennial herbs or climbers. Leaves simple, opposite or in whorls, entire.Stipules present, usually interpetiolar, less often intrapetiolar, entire or (in some herbaceous genera) with lobes or fimbriae. [Note that in the species of tribe Rubieae (the genera Galium, Rubia and Sherardia in Zimbabwe) the distinction between leaves and stipules breaks down and there are whorls of similar leaf-like objects.] Flowers usually bisexual, rarely unisexual (e.g. in some species of Anthospermum, Catunaregam and Canthium), actinomorphic. Calyx gamosepalous, (3-)4-5(-8)-lobed. Corolla gamopetalous, often with a long tube, (3-)4-5(-11)-lobed. Ovary inferior, of 2-5 or more carpels, usually 2. Fruit a capsule, berry or drupe.

Comment: A usually readily recognisable family, even in the vegetative state, from the combination of opposite (or whorled) entire leaves and interpetiolar stipules.

Worldwide: 630 genera and 10,200 species, cosmopolitan, but mainly tropical and warm areas.

Zimbabwe: 20 cultivated genera and 33 cultivated taxa.

Rothmannia manganjae

Links to cultivated genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Alberta E. Mey.Description
Bouvardia Salisb.
Burchellia R. Br.Description
Burttdavya HoyleDescription
Cinchona L.Description
Coffea L.Description, Image
Coprosma J. R. Forst. & G. Forst.
Crucianella L.
Didymosalpinx KeayDescription
Empogona Hook. f.
Galium L.Description
Gardenia J. EllisDescription, Image
Hamelia Jacq.Description, Image
Ixora L.Description, Image
Mussaenda L.Description, Image
Oxyanthus DC.Description
Pseudomussaenda WernhamDescription
Rondeletia L.Description, Image
Rothmannia Thunb.Description, Image
Serissa Comm. ex Juss.Description

Other sources of information about Rubiaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Rubiaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Rubiaceae
Flora of Malawi: Rubiaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Rubiaceae
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Rubiaceae
Flora of Zambia: Rubiaceae
Flora of Zambia: cultivated Rubiaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Rubiaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Rubiaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Rubiaceae
Wikipedia: Rubiaceae


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-23

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2023). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated plants: Family page: Rubiaceae.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/family.php?family_id=198, retrieved 24 March 2023

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