Plocama

Plocama is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It was described by William Aiton in 1789. It is distributed from the Canary Islands to northwestern India.^[2]

The genus was expanded in 2007 when several other Rubiaceae genera were merged into it. There are now about 34 species.^[3]

Plants of this genus are herbs or shrubs. They generally have an offensive scent when crushed. The leaves are oppositely arranged. The corolla is funnel shaped with a short to long tubular base. The fruit is either a drupe or a body that splits into two parts when ripe.^[3]

Species

As of January 2026, Plants of the World Online accepts the following 36 species:^[1]

Plocama afghanica(Ehrend.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama alshehbaziiF.O.Khass., Khamraeva, Khuzhan. & Achilova
Plocama asperuliformis(Lincz.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama aucheri(Guill.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama botschantzevii(Lincz.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama brevifolia(Coss. & Durieu ex Pomel) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama bruguieri(A.Rich. ex DC.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama bucharica(B.Fedtsch. & Des.-Shost.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama calabrica(L.f.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama calcicola(Puff) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama calycoptera(Decne.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama crocyllis(Sond.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama crucianelloides(Jaub. & Spach) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama dezfulensis(Naanaie & Assadi) Bordbar & Mirtadz.
Plocama dubia(Aitch. & Hemsl.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama ehrendorferiMirtadz. & Bordbar
Plocama eriantha(Jaub. & Spach) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama hymenostephana(Jaub. & Spach) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama iljinii(Lincz.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama inopinata(Lincz.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama jolana(Thulin) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama kandaharensis(Ehrend. & Qarar ex Ehrend. & Schönb.-Tem.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama macrantha(Blatt. & Hallb.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama mestscherjakovii(Lincz.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama olivieri(A.Rich. ex DC.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama pendulaAiton
Plocama puberula(Balf.f.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama putorioides(Radcl.-Sm.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama reboudiana(Coss. & Durieu) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama somaliensis(Puff) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama szowitzii(DC.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama thymoides(Balf.f.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama tinctoria(Balf.f.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama trichophylla(Popov) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama vassilczenkoi(Lincz.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama yemenensis(Thulin) M.Backlund & Thulin

References

^ ^a ^b"Plocama Aiton". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
^"World Checklist of Rubiaceae". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
^ ^a ^bBacklund, M., Bremer, B., & Thulin, M. (2007). Paraphyly of Paederieae, recognition of Putorieae and expansion of Plocama (Rubiaceae-Rubioideae).Taxon, 56(2), 315-328.

[POWO-1] "Plocama Aiton". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.

[WCSP-2] "World Checklist of Rubiaceae". Retrieved 17 January 2017.

[back-3] Backlund, M., Bremer, B., & Thulin, M. (2007). Paraphyly of Paederieae, recognition of Putorieae and expansion of Plocama (Rubiaceae-Rubioideae).Taxon, 56(2), 315-328.

[2]

[3]

[1]