Family · Asterids
Rubiaceae
Coffee, gardenia, quinine
Huge family of trees, shrubs and herbs with opposite leaves and stipules; source of coffee and quinine.
- Accepted species
- 14,400accepted names · Kew WCVP
- Genera
- 624accepted genera · Kew WCVP
- Origin
- ≈50 MaPaleogene · crown age, Jin & Qian 2022 megatree
- Centre of diversity
- Southern Americamost native species · WGSRPD
Open Rubiaceae in the treePan, zoom and dig into its genera in the interactive view.›
Plants you might know
- Coffea
- Cinchona
- Gardenia
- Galium
Largest genera
Psychotria1,645 spp.
Palicourea706 spp.
Galium678 spp.
Ixora563 spp.
Ophiorrhiza386 spp.
Pavetta334 spp.
Lasianthus294 spp.
Spermacoce289 spp.
Timonius261 spp.
Hedyotis199 spp.
Tarenna194 spp.
Faramea191 spp.
Mussaenda185 spp.
Argostemma181 spp.
Rudgea179 spp.
Oldenlandia161 spp.
Sabicea158 spp.
Rondeletia156 spp.
Guettarda145 spp.
Coffea134 spp.
Urophyllum126 spp.
Manettia125 spp.
Chassalia123 spp.
Gardenia123 spp.
Coussarea122 spp.
Coprosma121 spp.
Randia117 spp.
Hoffmannia115 spp.
Notopleura112 spp.
Arachnothryx101 spp.
Gynochthodes99 spp.
Psydrax98 spp.
Asperula91 spp.
Gaertnera90 spp.
Eumachia89 spp.
Rubia87 spp.
Canthium84 spp.
Tricalysia83 spp.
Pyrostria81 spp.
Rytigynia81 spp.
Wendlandia80 spp.
Chomelia75 spp.
Cynanchica75 spp.
Neonauclea71 spp.
Mitracarpus67 spp.
Bertiera58 spp.
Schradera58 spp.
Vangueria58 spp.
Hydnophytum57 spp.
Aidia56 spp.
Bouvardia56 spp.
Mycetia55 spp.
Galianthe53 spp.
Pauridiantha51 spp.
Peponidium50 spp.
Praravinia50 spp.
Danais48 spp.
Stenostomum48 spp.
Leptodermis47 spp.
Saprosma45 spp.
The 564 smaller genera are in the interactive tree.
Where it grows
- Southern America4,474
- Asia-Tropical4,198
- Africa3,292
- Asia-Temperate1,206
- Northern America745
- Pacific631
- Australasia397
- Europe326
- Antarctic5
Native species richness by botanical continent (WGSRPD level 1), from Kew WCVP.
Related families
Rubiaceae sits in the order Gentianales.