Rudgea
(named in honour of Edward Rudge, an English botanist, who published in 1606 "Plantarum Guianae Icones"). ORD. Rubiaceae. A genus comprising about forty-five species of glabrous or pubescent, stove shrubs or small trees, natives of tropical America. Flowers mediocre or rather large, paniculate, sessile or pedicellate, rarely capitate; calyx tube ovoid or obconical; limb of five, rarely four, persistent segments or parts; corolla cylindrical or funnel-shaped, the tube usually straight and elongated, the throat naked or bearded, the limb of five, rarely four, erect or spreading lobes; stamens five, or rarely four. Leaves opposite, sub-sessile or petiolate, coriaceous; stipules often cartilaginous, sometimes thickly coriaceous and inflated. For culture of the species best known in gardens, see Coffea. R. macrophylla (large-leaved). fl. cream-colour, sessile; fascicles densely clustered in globose heads; corolla segments obtuse; peduncles short. Summer. l. large, sub-sessile, obovate-oblong, narrowed at base. h. 6ft. Brazil, 1867. (B. M. 5653; F. d. S. 1720; G. C. n. s., xii. 81.)