Editing Rubiaceae (section)

==Description==
The Rubiaceae are morphologically easily recognizable as a coherent group by a combination of characters: opposite or whorled leaves that are simple and entire, [[Petiole (botany)|interpetiolar]] stipules, tubular [[Sympetalae|sympetalous]] [[actinomorphic]] [[Corolla (botany)|corollas]] and an [[inferior ovary]].

A wide variety of growth forms are present: [[shrub]]s are most common (e.g. ''[[Coffea]]'', ''[[Psychotria]]''), but members of the family can also be [[tree]]s (e.g. ''[[Cinchona]]'', ''[[Nauclea]]''), [[liana]]s (e.g. ''[[Psychotria samoritourei]]''), or [[herbaceous plant|herb]]s (e.g. ''[[Galium]]'', ''[[Spermacoce]]''). Some epiphytes are also present (e.g. ''[[Myrmecodia]]''). The plants usually contain [[iridoid]]s, various [[alkaloid]]s, and [[raphide|raphide crystals]] are common. The leaves are simple, undivided, and entire; there is only one case of pinnately compound leaves (''[[Pentagonia osapinnata]]''<ref name ="Hammel2015"/>). Leaf blades are usually elliptical, with a cuneate base and an acute tip. In three genera (''[[Pavetta]]'', ''[[Psychotria]]'', ''[[Sericanthe]]''), bacterial leaf nodules can be observed as dark spots or lines on the leaves. The [[phyllotaxis]] is usually decussate, rarely whorled (e.g. ''[[Fadogia]]''), or rarely seemingly alternate resulting from the reduction of one leaf at each node (e.g. ''[[Sabicea sthenula]]''). Characteristic for the Rubiaceae is the presence of [[stipule]]s that are mostly fused to an interpetiolar structure on either side of the stem between the opposite leaves. Their inside surface often bears glands called "colleters", which produce mucilaginous compounds protecting the young shoot. The "whorled" leaves of the herbaceous tribe [[Rubieae]] have classically been interpreted as true leaves plus interpetiolar leaf-like stipules. The inflorescence is a [[Inflorescence#Organization|cyme]], rarely of solitary flowers (e.g. ''[[Rothmannia]]''), and is either terminal or axillary and paired at the nodes. The 4-5-merous (rarely pleiomerous; e.g. six in ''[[Richardia]]''<ref name ="Hall1991"/>) flowers are usually [[Plant reproductive morphology#Flowering plants|bisexual]] and usually epigynous. The perianth is usually [[biseriate]], although the calyx is absent in some taxa (e.g. ''[[Theligonum]]''). The [[Sepal|calyx]] mostly has the lobes fused at the base; unequal calyx lobes are not uncommon, and sometimes (e.g. ''[[Mussaenda]]'') one lobe is enlarged and coloured (a so-called "semaphyl"). The [[petal#Corolla|corolla]] is sympetalous, mostly actinomorphic, usually tubular, mostly white or creamy but also yellow (e.g. ''[[Gardenia]]'' spp., ''[[Mycelia basiflora]]''), and rarely blue (e.g. ''[[Faramea calyptrata]]'') or red (e.g. ''[[Alberta magna]]'', ''[[Ixora coccinea]]''). The [[stamen]]s are alternipetalous and epipetalous. [[Anther]]s are longitudinal in dehiscence, but are poricidal in some genera (e.g. ''[[Rustia (plant)|Rustia]]'', ''[[Tresanthera]]''). The [[gynoecium]] is syncarpous with an inferior [[Ovary (botany)|ovary]] (rarely secondarily superior, e.g. ''[[Gaertnera]]'', ''[[Pagamea]]''<ref name="Igersheim94"/>). [[Placentation#Placentation in plants|Placentation]] is axial, rarely parietal (e.g. ''[[Gardenia]]''); [[ovule]]s are anatropous to hemitropous, unitegmic, with a funicular [[Ovary (botany)#Parts of the ovary|obturator]], one to many per carpel. [[Nectar#Floral nectaries|Nectaries]] are often present as a nectariferous disk atop the ovary. The fruit is a [[berry (botany)|berry]], [[Capsule (botany)|capsule]] (e.g. ''[[Oldenlandia]]''), [[drupe]] (e.g. ''[[Coffea]]'', ''[[Psychotria]]''), or [[schizocarp]] (e.g. ''[[Cremocarpon]]''). Red fruits are fairly dominant (e.g. ''[[Coffea arabica]]''); yellow (e.g. ''[[Rosenbergiodendron formosum]]''), orange (e.g. ''[[Vangueria infausta]]''), or blackish fruits (e.g. ''[[Pavetta gardeniifolia]]'') are equally common; blue fruits are rather exceptional save in the [[Psychotrieae]] and associated tribes. Most fruits are about 1&nbsp;cm in diameter; very small fruits are relatively rare and occur in herbaceous tribes; very large fruits are rare and confined to the [[Gardenieae]]. The seeds are [[endosperm]]ous.<ref name="Robbrecht1988"/><ref name ="Takhtajan2009"/>