''Genipa'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Rubiaceae Rubiaceae () is a family (biology), family of flowering plants, 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 Petiole ( ...

. This genus is native to the American

tropical forest Tropical forests are forested ecoregions with tropical climates – that is, land areas approximately bounded by the Tropic of Cancer, tropics of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, Capricorn, but possibly affected by other factors such as prevailing ...

Description

Tall

s, without any spines, prickles or thorns; with large

opposite In lexical semantics, opposites are words lying in an inherently incompatible binary relationship. For example, something that is ''even'' entails that it is not ''odd''. It is referred to as a 'binary' relationship because there are two members i ...

leaves of almost leathery texture, smooth or hairy. Presence of interpetiolar

stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole (botany), petiole). They are primarily found among dicots and rare among monocots. Stipules are considered part ...

s, triangle-shaped. The large flowers are arranged in terminal

cymes In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a main axis ( ped ...

; the calyx is tubular, while the corolla can be trumpet-shaped or short-cylindrical, with 5-6 lobes. The

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s are located at the top of the corolla. The fruit is an almost globose or ovoid berry, smooth, fleshy, with a thick rind. The seeds are large and flat.

Taxonomy

The species from Madagascar, originally described by

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...

, do not belong to the Rubiaceae

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...

Gardenieae Gardenieae is a Tribe (biology), tribe of flowering plants in the Family (biology), family Rubiaceae and contains about 586 species in 53 genus, genera. Genera Currently accepted names * ''Adenorandia'' Vermoesen (1 sp) * ''Agouticarpa'' C.H. ...

like the New World ''Genipa'' species, but in the tribe Octotropideae. Those species were transferred to the genus '' Hyperacanthus''. ''Genipa spruceana'' is considered doubtfully distinct from ''Genipa americana''. Species currently recognized in ''Genipa'' are: * ''

Genipa americana ''Genipa americana'' () is a species of trees in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to the tropical forests of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Description ''Genipa americana'' trees are up to 30 m tall and up to 60 cm d ...

'' L. * '' Genipa infundibuliformis'' Zappi & J.Semir * '' Genipa spruceana'' Steyerm.

Distribution and habitat

The genus is native to the

s of

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, including

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2345542 Rubiaceae genera Gardenieae