Genipa


Genipa is a genus of trees in the family Rubiaceae. This genus is native to the American tropical forests.

Tall trees, without any spines, prickles or thorns; with large opposite leaves of almost leathery texture, smooth or hairy.[1][2][3] Presence of interpetiolar stipules, triangle-shaped.[1][3] 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.[1][2][3] The stamens are located at the top of the corolla.[1] The fruit is an almost globose or ovoid berry, smooth, fleshy, with a thick rind.[1][2][3] The seeds are large and flat.[1][2][3]

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.[4] Those species were transferred to the genus Hyperacanthus.[4]


Genipa spruceana - MHNT