Catesbaea is a genus of flowering plants in the coffee family Rubiaceae (order Gentianales). It comprises thorny shrubs native to the West Indies, The Bahamas, and the Florida Keys. The genus was named in honour of the English naturalist Mark Catesby (1683–1749), who explored and documented the natural history of the southeastern United States and the Caribbean. Species within Catesbaea are commonly known as lilythorns and bear small, often fragrant flowers followed by fleshy fruits. The genus includes around 15–20 species, most of which are endemic to individual Caribbean islands. Two well-known members are Catesbaea spinosa, the type species from Cuba and the Bahamas, and Catesbaea melanocarpa (tropical lilythorn) from Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands.
Etymology
The genus Catesbaea was named in honour of Mark Catesby (1683–1749), an English naturalist and artist who travelled extensively through the southeastern American colonies and the Caribbean, producing one of the first comprehensive illustrated natural histories of the region.
Distribution
Catesbaea is distributed across the Caribbean region, including the West Indies (Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica), The Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Leeward Islands, and the Florida Keys in the United States. Most species are endemic to individual islands.
