Flora of New Zealand Series

Trees, shrubs, climbers, less commonly herbs. Lvs simple, opposite, usually entire; stipules between petioles or between the petiole and axis, sometimes fused and sheathing, sometimes leaflike and forming a pseudo-whorl with the true lvs. Fls usually in bracteate cymes forming compound fascicles or panicles, sometimes solitary, ± actinomorphic, usually ⚥, sometimes unisexual (plants dioecious), often heterostylous. Calyx tube adnate to ovary; lobes 4-5-(6), often appearing as distinct sepals, sometimes 0. Corolla ± tubular; lobes 4-5-(10), contorted, imbricate or valvate in bud. Stamens as many as corolla lobes, alternate with them, epipetalous. Ovary inferior, (1)-2-many-celled with axile, basal or apical placentation. Ovules 1-many in each cell; style simple; stigma capitate or lobed. Fr. usually a capsule, berry, or drupe, sometimes a schizocarp. Seed occasionally winged; endosperm copious.

450-500 genera, 5000-6250 spp., mainly tropical and subtropical regions.

In addition to the genera keyed below, there are others which are commonly cultivated in warmer parts of N.Z. Most of them are woody plants belonging to subfam. Cinchonoideae with rhaphides present, many ovules to each ovary cell, and a capsular or drupaceous fr. The most common are: Gardenia Ellis, with solitary or paired, large, white, waxy, very fragrant fls; Luculia Sweet, with deciduous interpetiolar stipules and very fragrant pink or white fls in clusters; Manettia Mutis, a vine with ± herbaceous stems and tubular scarlet and yellow corollas; Pentas Benth., subshrubs with very hairy or bristly stems and lvs, and a corymb of long-tubular purplish or pink fls; and Rondeletia L., with broad stipules, fls in often dense corymbs, and a mauve or pink corolla bearded in the throat.

The indigenous and naturalised genera in this family all belong to subfam. Rubioideae with no rhaphides and 1 ovule to each ovary cell.