Ciliosemina is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae (order Gentianales), placed in the subfamily Cinchonoideae and tribe Cinchoneae. Described by Alexandre Antonelli in 2005, it comprises two recognized species native to South America: Ciliosemina pedunculata and Ciliosemina purdieana. The type species, C. pedunculata, was originally described as Cinchona pedunculata by H. Karsten before Antonelli's phylogenetic revision of the Cinchoneae tribe reclassified it. The genus ranges from the eastern slopes of the Andes to the Amazon basin, with records in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil for C. pedunculata, while C. purdieana is endemic to Colombia. Plants are woody shrubs or small trees producing white, tubular flowers in axillary inflorescences. The fruits are stiff, dehiscent capsules that contain distinctly winged seeds — the feature from which the generic name is derived. Ciliosemina is a close relative of the economically significant Cinchona genus but remains obscure in cultivation.
Etymology
The generic name Ciliosemina is derived from Latin cilium (eyelash, hair) and semen (seed), referring to the conspicuously winged seeds found in the stiff, dehiscent capsules of both species. The name was published by Alexandre Antonelli in his 2005 revision of tribe Cinchoneae.
Distribution
Ciliosemina is restricted to South America, ranging from the eastern Andes to the Amazon basin. Ciliosemina pedunculata is the more widespread species, recorded in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northern Brazil (Amazonas). Ciliosemina purdieana is endemic to Colombia. GBIF occurrence data for C. pedunculata includes Colombian localities such as Betulia, Cimitarra, El Playón, Girón, La Paz, Lebrija, and Vélez.
Taxonomy
Ciliosemina was erected by Alexandre Antonelli in 2005 based on molecular phylogenetic analysis of tribe Cinchoneae (Taxon 54(1): 28). The type species, C. pedunculata, was originally described by H. Karsten under the genus Cinchona (as Cinchona pedunculata) and later transferred to Remijia before Antonelli's revision placed it in the new genus. The second species, C. purdieana, was originally described by Weddell also under a different genus. This reclassification resolved the polyphyly of Remijia within Cinchoneae.
