Rubiaceae (gardenia, coffee and quinine family)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid I > Order: Gentianales

A large family of 630 genera and about 10200 species found worldwide but particularly in tropical and warm regions. Fifty-nine genera and 233 species are native to southern Africa, an additional three genera and 6 species are naturalised, and an additional 19 genera and 47 species that are cultivated in the region.

Genera native to southern Africa

List from Retief & Leistner (2000) and Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI).

Afrocanthium Two species native to southern Africa: Afrocanthium gilfillanii (Velvet rock alder) (= Canthium gilfillanii) and Afrocanthium mundianum (= Canthium mundianum).
Agathisanthemum About six species, native to tropical Africa and the Comoro Islands, with two species native to southern Africa.
Alberta Five species, four in Madagascar and one, Alberta magna (Natal flame bush, Breekhout), native to southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape).
Amphiasma Six species, native to tropical and southwestern Africa, with three species native to southern Africa.
Ancylanthos Five species, native to tropical Africa, with one species, Ancylanthos rubiginosus, native to southern Africa.
Anthospermum A total of 40 species, native to Africa and Madagascar, with 21 species native to southern Africa.
Breonadia One species, Breonadia salicina (Matumi), native to tropical Africa and Madagascar; an important timber tree.
Burchellia One species, Burchellia bubalina (Wild pomegranate), endemic to southern Africa.
Canthium About 52 species, found in tropical areas of the Old World, with nine species native to southern Africa.
Carpacoce Seven species, endemic to the Western and Eastern Cape.
Carphalea A total of 14 species, native to tropical Africa and Madagascar, with one species, Carphalea pubescens, native to southern Africa (Namibia and Botswana).
Catunaregam About six species, native to tropical Africa to Asia, with two species native to southern Africa: Catunaregam obovata and Catunaregam taylorii (Thorny bone-apple) (= Catunaregam spinosa).
Cephalanthus About six species, native to tropical regions and North America, with one species, Cephalanthus natalensis (Strawberry bush), native to southern Africa and a further species, Cephalanthus occidentalis (Button bush) (native from eastern Canada to Cuba) that is cultivated in the region.
Coddia One species, Coddia rudis, endemic to southern Africa.
Coffea A total of 40 species, occurring in the Old World tropics, with two species, Coffea racemosa and Coffea zanguebariae, native to southern Africa and a further four species that are cultivated in southern Africa. Coffee is produced mainly from Coffea arabica (Arabian coffee, Arabica coffee) although other species are also used, to a much lesser extent.
Conostomium A total of nine species, native to the eastern regions of Africa, with two species, Conostomium natalense and Conostomium zoutpansbergense, native to southern Africa.
Coptosperma About 50 species, native to Africa and Madagascar, with five species native to southern Africa.
Crossopteryx One species, Crossopteryx febrifuga, native to tropical Africa, including Namibia, Botswana and Limpopo Province.
Eriosemopsis The sole species, Eriosemopsis subanisophylla, is endemic to southern Africa (southern KwaZulu-Natal and northern Eastern Cape).
Fadogia About 45 species, found in tropical Africa, with three species native to southern Africa.
Feretia Two species, native to tropical Africa, with one, Feretia aeruginescens, extending into southern Africa (Namibia).
Gaillonia Total of 17 species, native to Africa and Asia, with one species, Gaillonia crocyllis, endemic to southern Namibia and Northern Cape.
Galium About 400 species, found worldwide, with 13 species native to southern Africa.
Galopina Four species with a distribution extending from southern Malawi southwards, with all four native to the southeastern regions of southern Africa.
Gardenia About 60 species, native to tropical and warm regions of the Old World, with seven species native to southern Africa and a further two species that are cultivated in the region.
Guettarda About 60 species, native mainly to New Caledonia and tropical America, but with one species, Guettarda speciosa, native to southern Africa, found on vegetated dunes of northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Heinsia Five species, native to tropical Africa, with one species, Heinsia crinita, native to southern Africa (Limpopo Province).
Hymenodictyon Twenty species, found in the Old World, with one species, Hymenodictyon parvifolium, in southern Africa (Limpopo Province) and a further two species that are cultivated in the region.
Hyperacanthus Two species, native to tropical Africa with both of them having distributions extending into southern Africa.
Keetia About 40 species, native to tropical Africa, with one species, Keetia gueinzii, native to southern Africa.
Kohautia About 60 species, native to the Old World tropics, with 15 species native to southern Africa.
Kraussia Three species, native to tropical Africa, with the distribution of one of them, Kraussia floribunda (Rhino coffee), extending into southern Africa.
Lagynias Four species, native to tropical Africa, with three of them native to southern Africa.
Leptactina Twenty-five species, native to tropical Africa, with one species, Leptactinia delagoensis, native to southern Africa (Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal).
Mitriostigma Five species, native to tropical Africa, with the distribution of one species, Mitriostigma axillare (Dwarf loquat), extending into southern Africa.
Nenax Nine species, endemic to southern Africa.
Oldenlandia About 300 species, tropical in distribution, particularly Africa, with 12 species native to southern Africa.
Otiophora Twenty species, occurring in tropical Africa and Madagascar, with two species native to southern Africa.
Oxyanthus About 40 species, with three species native to southern Africa.
Pachystigma The 10 species are found in the warmer regions of Africa, with all of them occurring in southern Africa.
Paederia The 20 species are found in tropical regions, with one, Paederia bojeriana, native to southern Africa (Limpopo).
Pavetta About 400 species, found in the Old World tropics, with 24 species native to southern Africa.
Pentanisia The 15 species are found in tropical Africa, with three species native to southern Africa.
Pentas About 34 species, native to Africa, Arabian Peninsula and Madagascar, with two species in southern Africa and a further three species that are cultivated in the region.
Pentodon Two species, with a wide distribution in warm and tropical America, Africa, Arabian Peninsula and Seychelles. One species, Pentodon pentandrus, is native to southern Africa.
Phylohydrax Two species, native to tropical Africa and Madagascar, with one of them, Phylohydrax carnosa, native to southern Africa.
Psychotria About 1400 species, occurring in the tropics, with two species native to southern Africa.
Psydrax About 100 species, native to the Old World tropics, with four species native to the eastern parts of southern Africa.
Pygmaeothamnus Four species, native to tropical Africa, with two species native to southern Africa.
Pyrostria Ten species, native to Africa, Madagascar and Mauritius, with one of them, Pyrostria hystrix, native to southern Africa.
Rothmannia About 40 species, native to tropical Africa, Asia and the Seychelles, with three species native to southern Africa.
Rubia About 60 species, native to Africa, temperate Asia and America, with three species native to southern Africa.
Rytigynia About 70 species, native to tropical Africa, with two species native to southern Africa.
Sericanthe Seventeen species, native to tropical Africa, with one species, Sericanthe andongensis, native to southern Africa (Limpopo Province).
Spermacoce About 100 species worldwide, with five species native to southern Africa.
Tarenna About 180 species, native to the Old World tropics, with three species native to southern Africa.
Tricalysia About 100 species, native to tropical regions of the Old World, with 10 species native to southern Africa.
Vangueria A total of 27 species, found in tropical Africa and Madagascar, with eight species native to southern Africa.
Vangueriopsis The 18 species are native to tropical Africa, with one species, Vangueriopsis lanciflora, native to southern Africa (Namibia).

Genera naturalised in southern Africa

List from Retief & Leistner (2000) and Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI).

Diodia

About 30 species, native to tropical and warm regions of Africa and America. The only species in southern Africa is an introduced naturalised species, Diodia dasycephala, which is a roadside weed in the Eastern Cape.

Richardia

Total of 15 species, native to tropical America, with four naturalised in the eastern parts of southern Africa.

Sherardia

The only species, Sherardia arvensis, is native to Europe, Mediterranean and West Asia, and has become naturalised in southern Africa.

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002). The species name is provided in genera that have only one species represented in southern Africa.

Asperula tinctoria (Dyer's woodruff) Native to the Mediterranean.
Bouvardia ternifolia Native to southern USA and Mexico.
Cinchona (Peruvian bark, Quinine trees) There are about 40 species, all native to Central and South America. At least one, unidentified, species has been cultivated in southern Africa. The genus is best known as the source of quinine, which is derived from the bark of these trees. Quinine has, and still is, used in the treatment of malaria.
Coprosma Four species cultivated, including Coprosma repens (Looking glass plant).
Crucianella angustifolia Native from Portugal to Turkey.
Hamelia patens Native from Florida to Brazil.
Hoffmannia refulgens Native to Mexico.
Ixora About 400 species, native mainly to the African and Asian tropics. Six species are cultivated in southern Africa.
Luculia gratissima Native to India.
Manettia luteo-rubra Native from Brazil to Uruguay.
Morinda citrifolia (Indian mulberry) Native from tropical Asia to Australia.
Mussaenda About 200 species, native to the Old World tropics. Eight species are cultivated in southern Africa.
Myrmecodia beccarii Native to northeastern Australia.
Nauclea orientalis (Kauluang) Native from Burma to northern Australia.
Palicourea gardenioides Native to Mexico.
Phuopsis stylosa
Posoqueria latifolia (Brazilian oak) Native to tropical America.
Rondeletia Two species cultivated: Rondeletia amoena (native to Mexico) and Rondeletia odorata (native to Cuba).
Serissa japonica (Niklande) Native from Japan to Indonesia.

Publications

Bridson, D.M. 1998. Rubiaceae. Flora Zambesiaca 5,2: 211-377.
Bridson, D.M. & Verdcourt, B. 1988. Flora of Tropical East Africa. Rubiaceae (part 2): 415-747.
Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
Launert, E. 1966. Rubiaceae. Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 115: 1-27.
Retief, E. & Leistner, O.A. 2000. Rubiaceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 476-495. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Verdcourt, B. 1976. Flora of Tropical East Africa. Rubiaceae (part 1): 1-414.
Verdcourt, B. 1989. Rubiaceae. Flora Zambesiaca 5,1: 1-210.
Verdcourt, B. & Bridson, D.M. 1991. Flora of Tropical East Africa. Rubiaceae (part 3): 1-956.