Travel Journal
Afrocanthium
2026-11-15 04:51:25 · The Daily Ledger
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.

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
