Rothmannia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It was described in 1776 and is named for Göran Rothman (1739–1778) by Thunberg – both were pupils of Linnaeus.

Rothmannia
Rothmannia globosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Subfamily: Ixoroideae
Tribe: Gardenieae
Genus: Rothmannia
Thunb.
Type species
Rothmannia capensis

Description

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Although Rubiaceae flowers are generally organized in many-flowered inflorescences, solitary flowers are also found in this genus. The reduction of the number of flowers per inflorescence is often invertedly proportionate to the size of the flowers, which explains the large solitary flowers of some Rothmannia.[1]

Distribution and species

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The genus originally had wide distribution, but is now restricted to species found in tropical and southern Africa:[2]

Asian species moved to other genera

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The species found in western Indian Ocean, southern China to Indo-China and New Guinea are now placed in other genera, especially Ridsdalea:[3][4]

Rothmannia macrophylla (Hook.f.) Bremek. is a synonym of Singaporandia macrophylla (Hook.f.) K.M.Wong

References

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  1. ^ Robbrecht E, Puff C (1986). "A survey of the Gardenieae and related tribes (Rubiaceae)". Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie. 108 (1): 63–137.
  2. ^ "Rothmannia in the World Checklist of Rubiaceae". Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  3. ^ Pereira JT, Wong KM (2016) Sandakania 21: 42.
  4. ^ IPNI - Rubiaceae: Ridsdalea J.T.Pereira & K.M.Wong
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