8351.000 Vangueria Comm. ex Juss.

ANCYLANTHOS Desf.

LAGYNIAS E. Mey. ex Robyns

PACHYSTIGMA Hochst.

TAPIPHYLLUM Robyns

Lantz, H. & Bremer, B. (2005) Phylogeny of the complex Vanguerieae (Rubiaceae) genera Fadogia, Rytigynia, and Vangueria with close relatives and a new circumscription of Vangueria Plant Systematics and Evolution 253 159-183

Description of the genus

Shrubs or small trees. Leaves in pairs. Stipules produced into a narrow appendage at the apex. Inflorescences consisting of axillary cymes on opposite sides of the nodes. Calyx with 5 short, triangular, linear or oblong lobes. Corolla usually yellow, green, or greenish-yellow, densely hairy at throat; lobes 5, usually reflexed, sometimes with distinct narrow appendage at apex. Ovary 5-locular; ovule solitary in each loculus, pendulous. Fruit indehiscent, fleshy, ± spherical, glabrous.

Comment: In a new circumscription of this genus after phylogenetic research the species formerly in the separate genera Ancylanthos, Lagynias, Pachystigma and Tapiphyllum have all been included under Vangueria (Lantz, H. & Bremer, B., 2005).

Worldwide: 58 species in Subsaharan Africa and Madagascar.

Zimbabwe: 11 taxa.

Insects associated with this genus:
Hypolycaena philippus (Purple-brown hairstreak) Larval foodplant
Vangueria infausta subsp. infausta

Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsContent
apiculata K. Schum.N,C,E,SDescription, Image
dryadum S. MooreN,C,E,SDescription, Image
esculenta S. MooreEDescription, Image
fulgida (Welw. ex Hiern) Goyder & N.M.J.DaviesW,SDescription, Image
infausta Burch. subsp. infausta W,C,E,SDescription, Image
infausta Burch. subsp. rotundata (Robyns) Verdc. var. rotundata E
proschii Briq.N,W,CDescription, Image
pygmaea Schltr.C,EDescription, Image
randii S. Moore subsp. randii N,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
vestita (Robyns) ined.N,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
volkensii K. Schum. var. volkensii E

Other sources of information about Vangueria:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Vangueria
Flora of Burundi: Vangueria
Flora of Caprivi: Vangueria
Flora of the DRC: Vangueria
Flora of Malawi: Vangueria
Flora of Mozambique: Vangueria
Flora of Rwanda: Vangueria
Flora of Zambia: Vangueria

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Vangueria
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Vangueria
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Vangueria
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Vangueria
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Vangueria
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Vangueria
JSTOR Plant Science: Vangueria
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Vangueria
Plants of the World Online: Vangueria
Tropicos: Vangueria
Wikipedia: Vangueria

Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-26

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2026). Flora of Zimbabwe: Genus page: Vangueria.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=1394, retrieved 19 April 2026

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