Rubiaceae is a family of flowering plants (anthophytes) in the order Gentianales, 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. [1]
23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. [2] Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests. [3]
The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)). [4]
65 genera are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. [4] Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.
Genus Afrocanthium : [4]
Genus Agathisanthemum : [4]
Genus Ancylanthos : [4]
Genus Anthospermum : [4]
Genus Burchellia : [4]
Genus Catunaregam : [4]
Genus Cephalanthus : [4]
Genus Conostomium : [4]
Genus Coptosperma : [4]
Genus Cordylostigma : [4]
Genus Crossopteryx : [4]
Genus Diplospora : [4]
Genus Eriosemopsis : [4]
Genus Hymenodictyon : [4]
Genus Hyperacanthus : [4]
Genus Hypobathrum : [4]
Genus Leptactina : [4]
Genus Mitriostigma : [4]
Genus Oldenlandia : [4]
Genus Pachystigma : [4]
Genus Pentanisia : [4]
Genus Phylohydrax : [4]
Genus Plectronia : [4]
Genus Plectroniella : [4]
Genus Psychotria : [4]
Genus Pygmaeothamnus : [4]
Genus Rothmannia : [4]
Genus Sericanthe : [4]
Genus Spermacoce : [4]
Genus Stylocoryne : [4]
Genus Tapiphyllum : [4]
Genus Tricalysia : [4]
Genus Trichostachys : [4]
Anthospermum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is found in Tropical and Southern Africa, Madagascar and in southwestern Arabian Peninsula.
Tricalysia is a genus of plants in family Rubiaceae. It contains some 79 to 96 species, including:
Vangueria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is named for Voa vanguer, as V. madagascariensis is known in Malagasy.
Empogona is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa and Madagascar. It was for a time deemed a subgenus of Tricalysia.