Afrocanthium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It consists of deciduous, unarmed trees, and shrubs. They are native to East Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia to South Africa.

Taxonomy

Afrocanthium was first recognized as a distinct group in 1991, when it was named as a subgenus of Canthium. It was described and compared to the other subgenera in 1992. In 2004, a molecular phylogenetic study of DNA sequences showed that Afrocanthium is monophyletic and not most closely related to the other subgenera of Canthium. The authors of this study raised Afrocanthium, unaltered, to generic status. It is sister to Keetia, a genus that was segregated from Canthium in 1986.

Afrocanthium

Species

Afrocanthium burttii (Bullock) Lantz

Afrocanthium gilfillanii (N.E.Br.) Lantz

Afrocanthium keniense (Bullock) Lantz

Afrocanthium kilifiense (Bridson) Lantz

Afrocanthium lactescens (Hiern) Lantz

Afrocanthium mundianum (Cham. & Schltdl.) Lantz

Afrocanthium ngonii (Bridson) Lantz

Afrocanthium parasiebenlistii (Bridson) Lantz

Afrocanthium peteri (Bridson) Lantz

Afrocanthium pseudorandii (Bridson) Lantz

Afrocanthium pseudoverticillatum (S.Moore) Lantz

Afrocanthium racemulosum (S.Moore) Lantz

Afrocanthium rondoense (Bridson) Lantz

Afrocanthium salubenii (Bridson) Lantz

Afrocanthium shabanii (Bridson) Lantz

Afrocanthium siebenlistii (K.Krause) Lantz

Afrocanthium vollesenii (Bridson) Lantz

References

External links

Afrocanthium in the World Checklist of Rubiaceae

Rubiaceae genera

Vanguerieae

Taxa named by Birgitta Bremer

Taxa named by Diane Mary Bridson

Afrocanthium