Rubiaceae Madder family, Coffee family or Bedstraw family named after madder genus *Rubia* Worldwide in distribution, but mainly distributed in the tropics and subtropics, especially the woody members. Genera nearly 630, species 13000
Major Genera *Psychotria (1450 species)* *Galium (410)* *Ixora (370)* *Pavetta (360)* *Hedyotis (360)* *Tarenia (350)* *Randia (240)* *Gardenia (240)* *Mussaenda (190). * Trees (Adina, Neolamarckia) or shrubs (*Ixora, Gardenia*), rarely herbs (* Galium*), sometimes climbing (*Rubia*) with hooked hairs, rarely epiphytic (Myrmecodia) with large swellings on roots inhabiting ants, usually with Iridoids, raphide crystals common. Leaves opposite, with interpetiolar stipules which often become as large a leaves and thus forming whorled arrangement of leaves, simple, entire, often turning blackish when dry, with colleters in leaf axils. Inflorescence cymose, sometimes capitate (* Adina*), or solitary (*Gardenia*). Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, rarely zygomorphic (*Posoqueria*) epigynous, sometimes dimorphic (*Randia*). Calyx with 4-5 sepals, adnate to ovary, 5-lobed, lobes often very small, one sometimes enlarged and brightly coloured (*Mussaenda*). Corolla with 4-5 petals, (rarely 8-10), united, tubular, rotate or funnel-shaped, valvate, imbricate or twisted. Androecium with 4-5 stamens, free, epipetalous, anthers bithecous, dehiscence longitudinal, introrse, pollen grains usually tricolporate. Gynoecium with 2 (rarely 1-many) united carpels, ovary inferior, rarely superior (*Pugama*) or semi-inferior (*Synaptantha*), bilocular (rarely 1-many locules) with 1-many ovules in each chamber, placentation axile (rarely apical or basal), nectar disc usually present above the ovary, style slender, stigma capitate or lobed. Fruit a berry, capsule, drupe or schizocarp; seeds 1-many, with small embryo, curved or straight, endosperm present or absent. Economic importance: The family is economically important for being the source of coffee, quinine and a large number of ornamentals. Coffee is obtained from roasted seeds of *Coffea arabica* and *C. canephora*. Quinine, a remedy for malaria is derived from several species of *Cinchona*. Madder (*Rubia tinctoria*) was formerly cultivated for its red dye alizarin. Important ornamentals include *Gardenia, Ixora, Hamelia, Neolamarckia* (cadamb tree) and *Mussaenda*. -- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/
