Genipa
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Genipa is a genus of trees in the family Rubiaceae. This genus is native to the American tropical forests.
Description
[edit]Tall trees, without any spines, prickles or thorns; with large opposite leaves of almost leathery texture, smooth or hairy.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref> Presence of interpetiolar stipules, triangle-shaped.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> The large flowers are arranged in terminal cymes; the calyx is tubular, while the corolla can be trumpet-shaped or short-cylindrical, with 5-6 lobes.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> The stamens are located at the top of the corolla.<ref name=":0" /> The fruit is an almost globose or ovoid berry, smooth, fleshy, with a thick rind.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> The seeds are large and flat.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
Taxonomy
[edit]The species from Madagascar, originally described by Drake, do not belong to the Rubiaceae tribe Gardenieae like the New World Genipa species, but in the tribe Octotropideae.<ref name=":3" /> Those species were transferred to the genus Hyperacanthus.<ref name=":3" />
Genipa spruceana is considered doubtfully distinct from Genipa americana.<ref name=":4" />
Species currently recognized in Genipa are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":3">Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Genipa americana L.
- Genipa infundibuliformis Zappi & J.Semir
- Genipa spruceana Steyerm.
Distribution and habitat
[edit]The genus is native to the tropical forests of America, including Florida.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":4">Template:Cite journal</ref>