Cephaëlis

• Authority

  Maguire, Bassett. 1967. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part VII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 17: 1-439.

• Family

  Rubiaceae

• Scientific Name

  Cephaëlis

• Description

  Genus Description - For the present I am including the various segregates proposed (Gamotopea, Petagomoa) under Cephaelis. Gamotopea Brem. is separated from Petagomoa Brem. by the absence of a longitudinal fissure on the pyrene. The species included in Gamotopea (alba, callithrix, purpurea, and surinamensis) are decumbent sub­herbaceous types rooting at the nodes, but having involuerate heads and pubescent leaves and stems similar to the species of Petagomoa (hirta, nigricans, and atricapilla), which are erect, dichotomously branched, low subshrubs. Both these groups merge into Cephaelis. Bremekamp considers Petagomoa as the most closely related genus to Cephaelis, separated from the latter by the breadth of the bracts, length and shape of the calyx-lobes, habit of the plant, and degree of connation of the involucral bracts, which are free or nearly so in Petagomoa and more or less connate at the base in Cephaelis.

• Discussion

  Type. Cephaelis axillaris Sw.