RUBIACEAE  

Gynodioecious, fetid shrubs or dwarf shrubs. Leaves decussate, subsessile, linear to +/- elliptic, small; stipular sheath narrow, with a small triangular appendage on either side. Flowers 5-merous, bisexual (and protandrous) or female, shortly pedicellate, in clusters of several to many, terminal on new growth. Calyx: lobes narrowly ovate, much shorter than corolla tube. Corolla white. Stamens arising in throat of corolla tube. Ovary bicarpellate, 2-locular, each locule with a solitary erect ovule; style joined; stigma lobes 2, as long as style. Fruit (tardily) dehiscing into 2 mericarps. Seeds remaining enclosed in mericarp.

Perennial herbs, usually with several stems from a woody rootstock, shrublets or shrubs. Leaves 3-5-nate, rarely opposite, shortly petiolate, sometimes pale on undersurface; stipules small, connate at base, often villous within, persistent, 3-5-tailed. Flowers usually few in pedunculate cymes, rarely solitary; buds obtuse or shortly apiculate. Calyx 5-9-lobed, or -toothed; tube shallowly cup-shaped; limb truncate. Corolla 5(6)-lobed, white orgreenish white; lobes ovate, usually acuminate, as long as or longer than tube, often with mucro behind apex, papillate on inner surface; tube cylindric or campanulate, glabrous or hairy outside, with ring of deflexed hairs inside, pubescent to densely hairy above it, densely hairy or less often glabrous at throat. Stamens 5(6), arising in corolla mouth, shortly exserted; filaments linear, shorter than anthers; anthers oblong, sometimes with fleshy apiculus, sometimes sagittate. Disc annular. Ovary 3- or 4(-9)-locular, with a solitary pendulous ovule in each locule; style terete, shortly exserted; stigma subglobose or shortly cylindric, often truncate at base, shallowly 3-5-lobed, furrowed, sometimes ribbed. Fruit usually a globose drupe, sometimes oblique, usually crowned with remains of calyx limb, with 1-3(-9) pyrenes.

Annual or perennial herbs, often diffusely branched with slender, angled branches. Leaves sessile or subsessile; blades linear to ovate; stipules with 3-6 setose lobes and sheathing at base. Flowers axillary, small, solitary or verticillate. Calyx 2-4-lobed with lobes persistent, or disepalous; tube ovoid to obovoid. Corolla usually 4-lobed, white; lobes short, valvate; tube funnel-shaped, membranous. Stamens usually 4, arising in throat of corolla tube, exserted; anthers dorsifixed. Ovary usually 2-locular, with 1 ovule in each locule attached at +/- middle of septum; style slender, exserted, bidentate at apex; stigma subcapitate. Fruit separating into indehiscent mericarps, with pericarp not adnate to seed. x = 7 (polyploidy).

Erect, perennial herbs or subshrubs, usually with quadrangular branches. Leaves opposite, sessile, linear to lanceolate; stipule sheath truncate, bearing hairs and colleters or 2-several teeth. Flowers never truly heterostylous; in terminal, fasciculate corymbs. Calyx 4-partite; segments linear-subulate. Corolla 4-lobed, white, mauve or purple; throat and lobes glabrous within or sparsely pilose; tube long, narrowly cylindric below and slightly expanded above. Stamens with anthers sessile or subsessile, included or only tips exserted. Ovary 2-locular, with many ovules in each locule, attached to shortly stalked, shield-like placentas; style glabrous or papillose, usually exserted; stigmas linear-oblong, densely papillate. Fruit an ovoid or subglobose capsule, crowned by persistent calyx, beak present. Seeds many, angular, smooth. x = 9 (1 report, aneuploids).

Shrubs or small trees. Leaves opposite or, more usually, densely clustered on dwarf side branchlets; stipules ovate-triangular. Flowers solitary, axillary, 1-3 together at ends of abbreviated shoots. Calyx 5-lobed; lobes elliptic, linear-oblong, usually ovate; tube ellipsoid; limb campanulate. Corolla 5-lobed, white; lobes oblong-elliptic; tube with base cylindric, upper part funnel-shaped, with a circular band of long hairs within. Stamens 5, arising in corolla mouth, partly included; anthers linear, sessile, apiculate. Ovary 2-locular; ovules +/- 5-8 on thin, broadly attached placenta on fleshy locule septum; style narrowly clavate, winged at apex. Fruit 2-locular, indehiscent, crowned with persistent calyx lobes. Seeds compressed, ovoid-angular. x = 11 (1 report, aneuploids).