Nesohedyotis

Classification System: APG IV

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

Familia: Rubiaceae
Subfamilia: Rubioideae
Tribus: Spermacoceae
Genus: Nesohedyotis
Species: N. arborea
Name

Nesohedyotis (Hook.f.) Bremek., Verh. Kon. Ned. Akad. Wetensch., Afd. Natuurk., Sect. 2, 48(2): 152. (1952)

monotypic taxon

References

Bremekamp, C.E.B. 1952. Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Nederlandsche Akademie van Wetenschappen. Afdeeling Natuurkunde, Sectie 2., 48(2): 152.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2019. Nesohedyotis in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 June 16. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Nesohedyotis. Published online. Accessed: June 16 2019.

Nesohedyotis is a genus of flowering plants endemic to the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. It in the family Rubiaceae (the family that includes coffee).

It is a monotypic genus containing the single species Nesohedyotis arborea (Roxb.) Bremek., which grows on the central ridge of the island. It is known commonly as the St. Helena dogwood.[1] The vernacular name recalls the similarity between its inflorescences and those of Cornus species, the dogwoods of Europe and North America.[2] Although it is one of the commoner endemic species on Saint Helena its small population size and small geographical distribution make it endangered.

This species is a small, erect tree growing up to 7 meters tall. The leaves are oppositely arranged. They are lance-shaped with a pointed, downcurved "drip tip". The white flowers are 3 or 4 millimeters wide and the fruit is a brown or black capsule.[2]

This tree is a keystone species in the thickets of the island. The leaves collect mist, which condenses and falls from the "drip tips" into the vegetation below, providing water.[2]
See also

Flora of St Helena

References

Cairns-Wicks, R. 2003. Nesohedyotis arborea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2003. Downloaded on 24 November 2015.

Percy, D. M., & Cronk, Q. C. B. (1997). Conservation in relation to mating system in Nesohedyotis arborea (Rubiaceae), a rare endemic tree from St Helena. Biological Conservation, 80(2), 135-145.