Genipa

Genipa is a genus of trees in the family Rubiaceae. This genus is native to the American tropical forests.

Genipa
Flower, fruit, and leaf of Genipa americana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Tribe: Gardenieae
Genus: Genipa
L.
Species

see text

Genipa spruceana - MHNT

Description

Tall trees, without any spines, prickles or thorns; with large opposite leaves of almost leathery texture, smooth or hairy.[1][2][3] Presence of interpetiolar stipules, triangle-shaped.[1][3] The large flowers are arranged in terminal cymes; the calyx is tubular, while the corolla can be trumpet-shaped or short-cylindrical, with 5-6 lobes.[1][2][3] The stamens are located at the top of the corolla.[1] The fruit is an almost globose or ovoid berry, smooth, fleshy, with a thick rind.[1][2][3] The seeds are large and flat.[1][2][3]

Taxonomy

The species from Madagascar, originally described by Drake, do not belong to the Rubiaceae tribe Gardenieae like the New World Genipa species, but in the tribe Octotropideae.[4] Those species were transferred to the genus Hyperacanthus.[4]

Genipa spruceana is considered doubtfully distinct from Genipa americana.[5]

Species currently recognized in Genipa are:[6][4]

  • Genipa americana L.
  • Genipa infundibuliformis Zappi & J.Semir
  • Genipa spruceana Steyerm.

Distribution and habitat

The genus is native to the tropical forests of America, including Florida.[3][7][5]

References
  1. Francis, Macbride, J.; E., Dahlgren, B. (1936). "Flora of Peru /". Fieldiana. v.13:pt.6:no.1 [Rubiaceae]: 106.
  2. Standley, Paul (1938). "Flora of Costa Rica". v.18:pt:4: 1299. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. Liogier, Alain H. (1985). Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands. La Editorial, UPR. p. 97. ISBN 9780847723386.
  4. Rakotonasolo, Franck; Davis, Aaron (2006). "Six Species of Madagascan Genipa Transferred to Hyperacanthus (Rubiaceae-Gardenieae) and New Data on General Morphology, Placentation and Ovary Structure in Hyperacanthus". Taxon. 55 (2): 387–396. doi:10.2307/25065586. JSTOR 25065586.
  5. Zappi, D. C.; Semir, J.; Pierozzi, N. I. (1995). "Genipa infundibuliformis sp. nov. and Notes on Genipa americana (Rubiaceae)". Kew Bulletin. 50 (4): 761–771. doi:10.2307/4110237. JSTOR 4110237.
  6. "Genipa — The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  7. Grandtner, M. M.; Chevrette, Julien (2013). Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press. p. 263. ISBN 9780123969545.
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