Coccoloba
Coccoloba, Civ. Nat. Hist. Jamaica: 209. 1756, nom. cons., sec. Brandbyge 1993
- Type: Coccoloba uvifera
Content
Notes
Coccoloba includes c. 120 Neotropical species which are grouped in four areas with distinguished endemism: Antilles, Central America, north of South America, and the Amazon region of Brazil (Sthor 1982; Brandbyge 1993). The presence of an ocrea (also ochrea), flowers with five tepals and eight stamens, and the globose or trigonous achene are the fundamental characteristics which support the relationships among Coccoloba, Neomillspauhia S. F. Blake and Podopterus Humb. & Bonpl. (Sanchez & Kron 2009; Burke & al. 2010; Burke & Sanchez 2011). The particular ecological conditions and ecological isolation of the Antilles allow inferring a radiation, mainly in Cuba and Hispaniola, with c. 40 endemic species; however, there is no biogeographic hypothesis for the genus. Currently, Coccoloba is classified in several sections, which have not been phylogenetically evaluated.