The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules and sympetalous actinomorphic flowers. The family contains about 13,500 species in about 620 genera, which makes it the fourth-largest angiosperm family. Rubiaceae has a cosmopolitan distribution; however, the largest species diversity is concentrated in the tropics and subtropics. Economically important genera include Coffea, the source of coffee, Cinchona, the source of the antimalarial alkaloid quinine, some dye plants, and ornamental cultivars.
Vanguerieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 655 species in 30 genera. It is one of the most species-rich groups within the family and it is distributed all over the Paleotropics.
Naucleeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 183 species in 24 genera. Species belonging to Naucleeae occur from Australasia, tropical Asia, Madagascar, tropical Africa, and to the Neotropics and North America.
Retiniphyllum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains 20 species. It is the only genus in the tribe Retiniphylleae. The representatives are shrubs or small trees that grow in white sand soils in tropical South America. They are mainly distributed in the Guayana Region (Venezuela) but also occur in the Amazon Basin, the eastern Andes and central and eastern Brasil.
Guettardeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 748 species in 14 genera. Its representatives are widespread geographically and are found in the tropics and subtropics.
Hamelieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 171 species in 6 genera. Its representatives are found in tropical and subtropical America. The sister tribe Hillieae is sometimes here included.
Hillieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 29 species in 3 genera. Its representatives are found in tropical America. The tribe is sometimes included in its sister tribe Hamelieae.
Isertieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 16 species in 2 genera. Its representatives are found in tropical America.
Rondeletieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 178 species in 8 genera. Its representatives are found from southern Mexico to northern South America and in the Caribbean.
Alberteae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 18 species in 3 genera. Its representatives are found in tropical and southern Africa and in Madagascar.
Argostemmateae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 215 species in 4 genera. Its representatives are found in tropical Africa, and tropical and subtropical Asia.
Coptosapelteae is a tribe incertae sedis of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 55 species in 2 genera. Its representatives are found in tropical and subtropical Asia. This tribe has not been placed within as subfamily of Rubiaceae, but is sister to the rest of the family.
Gaertnereae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 95 species in 2 genera. Gaertnera is found from tropical Africa to tropical Asia, while Pagamea is found in southern tropical America.
Condamineeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 305 species in 31 genera. Most genera are found in Central and Southern Tropical America, but a few occur in Southeast Asia.
Sabiceeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 164 species in 7 genera. Its representatives are found in tropical Africa, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and from Mexico to tropical America. The genus Sabicea is one of the rare genera in Rubiaceae that occurs both in tropical Africa and tropical America.
Sipaneeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 43 species in 10 genera. Its representatives are found from Central to Southern Tropical America.
Mussaendeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 221 species in 8 genera. Its representatives are found from tropical and southern Africa, the western Indian Ocean, to tropical and subtropical Asia and the Pacific region.
Aleisanthieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains 10 species in 3 genera. Its representatives are found in Borneo, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Sherbournieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains 54 species in 4 genera. Its representatives are found in tropical and southern Africa.
Urophylleae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains 237 species in 6 genera. Its representatives are found in the tropics.
