Ixoroideae is a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

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 ( ...

and contains about 4000

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

in 27

tribes 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 ...

Tribes

* Airospermeae Kainul. & B.Bremer * Alberteae Hook.f. * Aleisanthieae Mouly, J.Florence & B.Bremer * Augusteae Kainul. & B.Bremer * Bertiereae Bridson * Coffeeae DC. * Condamineeae Hook.f. * Cordiereae A.Rich. ex DC. emend. Mouly * Cremasporeae Bremek. ex S.P.Darwin * Crossopterygeae F.White ex Bridson * Gardenieae A.Rich. ex DC. * Greeneeae Mouly, J.Florence & B.Bremer * Henriquezieae

Benth. George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

& Hook.f. *

Ixoreae ''Ixora'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is the only genus in the tribe ''Ixoreae''. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 544 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas ...

& Hook.f. * Jackieae Korth. * Mussaendeae Hook.f. * Octotropideae Bedd. * Pavetteae A.Rich. ex Dumort. *

Posoquerieae Posoquerieae is a Tribe (biology), tribe of flowering plants in the Family (biology), family Rubiaceae and contains 23 species in 2 genus, genera. Its representatives are found from Mexico to tropical South America. Genera Currently accepted n ...

Delprete * Retiniphylleae Hook.f. * Sabiceeae Bremek. * Scyphiphoreae Kainul. & B.Bremer *

Sherbournieae Sherbournieae is a Tribe (biology), tribe of flowering plants in the Family (biology), family Rubiaceae and contains 54 species in 4 genus, genera. Its representatives are found in tropical and southern Africa. Genera Currently accepted names ...

Mouly & B.Bremer * Sipaneeae Bremek. * Steenisieae Kainul. & B.Bremer * Trailliaedoxeae Kainul. & B.Bremer * Vanguerieae A.Rich. ex Dumort.

Classification

Ixoroideae is a subfamily of the family

. Based on both morphological and molecular characters,

has been divided into three subfamilies - Ixoroideae, Cinchonoideae, and Rubioideae. Ixoroideae and Cinchoinoideae are more closely related. Members of Ixoroideae are morphologically diverse so no shared derived characters have been established for its classification. Introduction of molecular analyses to systematics dramatically improved tribal classification within the subfamily. Present tribal classification within this subfamily is mainly supported through molecular analysis of chloroplast DNA.

Cultivation and use

Ixoroideae consists of 27

that include several economically valuable genera. Well-known genera within the subfamily include '' Ixora'' and ''

Gardenia ''Gardenia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Madagascar, Pacific Islands, and Australia. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus and John Ellis after ...

'', both popular ornamentals, but economic value is centered on the genus ''

Coffea ''Coffea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. ''Coffea'' species are shrubs or small trees native to tropical and southern Africa and tropical Asia. The seeds of some species, called coffee beans, are used to flavor variou ...

'', cultivated for coffee production. Three species are generally used for cultivation - ''

Coffea arabica ''Coffea arabica'' (), also known as the Arabica coffee, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee and madder family Rubiaceae. It is believed to be the first species of coffee to have been cultivated and is the dominant cultivar, represe ...

'', '' Coffea robusta'', and '' Coffea liberica'' Davis, A. P., Govaerts, R., Bridson, D. M., & Stoffelen, P. (2006). An annotated taxonomic conspectus of the genus Coffea (Rubiaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 152(4), 465-512.

References

Gentianales subfamilies Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque {{Ixoroideae-stub