Genipa

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Gentianales

Familia: Rubiaceae
Subfamilia: Ixoroideae
Tribus: Gardenieae
Genus: Genipa
Species: G. americana – G. spruceana
Name

Genipa L., Gen. Pl. ed. 5: 87. (1754)

Typus: Genipa americana L.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:
References

Linnaeus, C. 1754. Genera Plantarum Eorumque Characteres Naturales Secundum Numerum, Figuram, Situm, & Proportionem Omnium Fructificationis Partium. (Ed. 5) 87.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Genipa in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 Feb. 29. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2020. Genipa. Published online. Accessed: Feb. 29 2020.
Tropicos.org 2020. Genipa. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 Feb. 29.

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

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

Francis, Macbride, J.; E., Dahlgren, B. (1936). "Flora of Peru /". Fieldiana. v.13:pt.6:no.1 [Rubiaceae]: 106.
Standley, Paul (1938). "Flora of Costa Rica". v.18:pt:4: 1299.
Liogier, Alain H. (1985). Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands. La Editorial, UPR. p. 97. ISBN 9780847723386.
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.
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.
"Genipa — The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
Grandtner, M. M.; Chevrette, Julien (2013). Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press. p. 263. ISBN 9780123969545.