| Chione | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cinchonoideae |
| Genus: | Chione DC |
| Type species | |
| Chione glabra DC. |
|
| Species | |
|
1 Species with 4 Varieties |
|
Chione is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. They are native to the neotropics, occurring in most of Mexico, and throughout Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Typically, they are trees, 10 to 20 meters tall. In harsh habitats, they may be dwarfed and shrubby. They have no known economic use.
Some authors have assigned as many as 15 species to Chione, [1] but usually only one species is recognized. [2] In 2003, two species were removed from Chione and placed in a new genus, Colleteria. [3] The remaining species of Chione were combined into one species, Chione venosa, with four varieties. [4]
The genus Chione was erected by de Candolle in his Prodromus [5] in 1830. [6] The name of the genus is derived from the Greek word chion, meaning snow. [7]
The biological type for the genus are those plants which de Candolle called Chione glabra. [8] These are now included in Chione venosa var. venosa. [4]
Chione and Colleteria are the only genera in the subfamily Cinchonoideae that have not been assigned to a tribe. They will be placed in a tribe, possibly a new one, after further morphological study. [9]