Rubiaceae
Genera : 650
Species: 10,500
Links to genus directories:
Cephalanthus Mussaenda Coccocypselum Pentagonia Coffea Pentas Coprosma Psychotria Galium Rondeletia Houstonia Uncaria Mitchella
Links to dendrology genus directories:
Rubiaceae |
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Genera : 650Species: 10,500 |
Links to genus directories:
Links to dendrology genus directories: |
Distribution: Worldwide
with a majority in the tropical in subtropical regions and woody.
Those in temperate regions are herbaceous.
Economic Uses: Source of
coffee, quinine and ipecac. Cutivated as ornamentals and for a
red dye.
Defining
Features of Interest: The compound
pistil often exibits heterostyly, or differentially elongated
styles.
Fossil Evidence: Pollen
and leaf fossils from the Eocene
Floral Features : Actinomorphic (rarely zygomorphic) and perfect (rarely unisexual). Inflorescences are various. Epigynous. Flower often shows heterostyly.
Fruit and Seed Features : Fruit a berry, capsule, drupe or schizocarp. Seeds sinlge or many and with or without endosperm. Placentation is axile or parietal.
Vegetative Features
: Habit is as herbs, shrubs, trees, lianas or epiphytes. Leaves
simple, entire (rarely lobed) and opposite or whorled. Stipules
are often fused at the node and leaf like. appearing like whorled
leaves.
