Rubiaceae () is a 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 interpetiolar stipules and sympetalous actinomorphic flowers. The family contains about 14,200 species in about 615 genera, which makes it the fourth-largest angiosperm family by number of species.

Associations with other organisms

The genera Anthorrhiza, Hydnophytum, Myrmecodia, Myrmephytum, and Squamellaria are succulent epiphytes that have evolved a mutualistic relationship with ants. Their hypocotyl grows out into an ant-inhabited tuber.

Systematics

Taxonomy

The name Rubiaceae (nomen conservandum) was published in 1789 by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, The leaves of the Kratom plant (Mitragyna speciosa) contain a variety of alkaloids, including several psychoactive alkaloids and is traditionally prepared and consumed in Southeast Asia, where it has been known to exhibit both painkilling and stimulant qualities, behaving as a μ-opioid receptor agonist, and often being used in traditional Thai medicine in a similar way to and often as a replacement for opioid painkillers like morphine.

Ornamentals

Originally from China, the common gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) is a widely grown garden plant and flower in frost-free climates worldwide. Several other species from the genus are also seen in horticulture. The genus Ixora contains plants cultivated in warmer-climate gardens; the most commonly grown species, Ixora coccinea, is frequently used for pretty red-flowering hedges. Mussaenda cultivars with enlarged, colored calyx lobes are shrubs with the aspect of Hydrangea; they are mainly cultivated in tropical Asia. The New Zealand native Coprosma repens is a commonly used plant for hedges. The South African Rothmannia globosa is seen as a specimen tree in horticulture. Nertera granadensis is a well-known house plant cultivated for its conspicuous orange berries. Other ornamental plants include Mitchella, Morinda, Pentas, and Rubia.

Dyes

Rose madder, the crushed root of Rubia tinctorum, yields a red dye,

  • Rubiaceae at The Plant List
  • Rubiaceae at Encyclopedia of Life
  • Rubiaceae at Angiosperm Phylogeny Website
  • Rubiaceae at Flora of China
  • Rubiaceae at Flora of Pakistan
  • Rubiaceae at Flora of Zimbabwe
  • Rubiaceae at Flora of Western Australia
  • Rubiaceae at Flora of New Zealand
  • Rubiaceae at Integrated Taxonomic Information System
  • Rubiaceae at Plants of the World Online
  • Rubiaceae at World Flora Online