Rubiaceae

Rubia L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 109 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Old World.

Descriptions

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Morphology General Habit
Herbs, the stems sometimes woody towards the base, often stiffly hairy or with tiny prickles
Morphology Leaves
Leaves in whorls of 4–6(–8), some of which may be stipular in origin; blades linear, lanceolate, obovate or less often cordate, often prickly
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers small, in axillary and/or terminal cymes, hermaphrodite
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-tube ovoid or globose, the limb obsolete
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla rotate or subcampanulate, (4–)5(–6)-merous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens inserted in the corolla-tube, the anthers exserted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disc small, swollen
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 1–2-locular; ovules solitary in each locule, erect, affixed to the septum, amphitropous; style 2-fid or styles 2, short; stigmas capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit fleshy, of 2 parts or rarely 1-locular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds suberect, with plane or concave ventral face, horny endosperm and membranous testa, adhering to the pericarp.
[FTEA]

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 5:1. 1989

Morphology General Habit
Scrambling, creeping or climbing perennial herbs, somewhat woody near the base; roots quite woody, reddish (yielding a red dye).
Morphology Stem
Stems branched, 4-angled, ± brittle, mostly beset with recurved prickles.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves in whorls of (3)4–8(12), petiolate (in the Flora Zambesiaca area), blades cordate or broadly ovate, ovate-lanceolate to linear, rounded to ± cordate at base or narrowed to base, with 1–5(7) prominent veins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in axillary and/or terminal cymes, hermaphrodite, 5 (rarely 4 or 6) -merous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx lobes obsolete.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla rotate to subcampanulate, greenish, yellowish green to yellow; lobes ± triangular, (long) acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers exserted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary bilocular, one ovule in each chamber, crowned by a minute disk; style branches 2, joined below; stigmas capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit fleshy, glabrous, consisting of 2 round mericarps, each with a single seed, round on dorsal side, plane to convex on ventral side; one mericarp often aborted.
[FZ]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Herbs or subshrubs with 4–6-angled stems
Morphology Leaves
Leaves in whorls of 4–8 (including leaf-like stipules), usually distinctly petiolate; blades linear to cordate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flowers in axillary and/or terminal cymes, mostly 5-merous, bisexual
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Calyx-lobes obsolete. Corolla rotate to shortly campanulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 2-celled, with 1 ovule in each cell; style 2-fid with capitate stigmas
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits fleshy, glabrous, of 2 round parts (mericarps), or 1 mericarp sometimes aborted.
Distribution
Genus of some 88 species in the Old World
[FSOM]

Uses

Use
Some species yielding a red dye from the roots.
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0